


Life Lessons: Post Graduate

by StarvingLunatic



Series: Life Lessons [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adulthood, Babies, Car Sex, Domestic Fluff, Drama, F/F, Families of Choice, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Genderqueer Character, Growing Up, Kitchen Sex, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Character of Color, Lesbian Sex, Married Couple, Married Life, Novel, Oral Sex, Pregnancy, Romance, Slice of Life, Snapshots, Strap-Ons, Wordcount: Over 100.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-04-07 10:22:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 49
Words: 118,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14078817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarvingLunatic/pseuds/StarvingLunatic
Summary: More Artie and Quinn. This is the sequel to Life Lessons: Graduate Courses. Step into their adult lives where they work on being married, building their careers, and keeping up familial connections.





	1. Talk About It

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Welcome to another original story by this lunatic. The story and the characters are mine. Do not use them without my permission. Also, any and all characters, events, and situations found in these stories are fictional. If there are any similarities between these things and real people, events, and situations, it is purely a coincidence.
> 
> Public Service Announcement: I’m sure you know there will be a sexual relationship between two women, but if you don’t know this is me warning you. There will be a sexual relationship between two women in this story.
> 
> This story is the sequel to [Life Lessons: Graduate Courses](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4674287). You should probably read [Life Lessons](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4575066) and [Life Lessons: Graduate Courses](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4674287) for this to make sense. This story is going to be told in rather short chapters, like the others.
> 
> As with all of my stories of late, there is no beta for this. If you see a mistake let me know. If you have experience being a beta and want to help me out, also let me know.
> 
> Come say hi to me on FB: [S. L Kassidy](https://www.facebook.com/pages/SL-Kassidy/482097488469386). On with the story!

Life Lessons: Post Graduate

1: Talk About It

Artie took a deep breath as she messed her sky blue tie yet again. It was either fiddle with the tie or tug on her suit jacket and she did not want to risk wrinkling the material. She wished Quinn were there to tell her looked fine, even though Quinn had probably said that about a thousand times already. But, Quinn was seated in the audience with the pantheon and Artie’s mother, Anna Brenner, and her grandparents along with Vega, Yvonne, and Vega’s father, Mahmoud Nasri. 

Artie was about to be on a popular daytime talk show. She was confident until she stood there alone, waiting for her introduction. Now, she felt like she might sweat through her suit all the way down to her oxfords. Her stomach rolled and her chest was a little tight. She almost missed her cue as she took another deep breath and it sounded like her blood roared in her ears. A stagehand nudged her to get her to move.

“For a second, I was going to send a search party for you,” the host, Jordan Grant, remarked as Artie sat down on a couch opposite the host’s armchair. She was an attractive woman with a short haircut and a dangling earring in one ear. She seemed warm and friendly, which was why Artie agreed to do the show after the host expressed keen interest in her.

Artie laughed as she crossed her legs at the knee, trying to seem like she had proper manners. It was uncomfortable and there was no way she would sit like this for the whole interview. “You’d have been right. I was this close to putting myself on a milk carton.” She put her thumb and forefinger close.

Jordan leaned in a little closer, offering a smile that went all the way to amiable brown eyes. “Nervous?”

Artie blew out a breath. “Just a little.”

Jordan laughed and hit Artie on the knee with the back of her hand. “I thought you were braver than that. I mean, it takes a lot of guts to talk about all of the different subjects you hit in your book.” The book was on an end table right next to her and she held it up. “In case everyone forgot, we’re here with Artie Brenner to talk about her book, _Took a Left, Still Went Right_ , which is climbing the charts and has a lot of tongues wagging. There’s so many things in here to think about and discuss, not just for the LGBTQ community, but for families in general.”

“Well, the book was easy since I didn’t really have to do any of the writing. I just sort of rambled to my wife and we both tried to make sense of the ranting and then she wrote it all up. My job was easy.” Artie grinned and she sough out Quinn in the audience.

Artie’s whole crew was seated right in front, dressed like they were at an award’s show. Quinn had Tia on one side and Diana on the other side. Tia towered over Quinn, but with the twins next to her, she looked short. Juno was next to their mother, smiling big and proud. Her mother and grandparents looked proud, too. Artie should have expected it, but it still hit her right in the chest. Yvonne grinned at her while Vega was as stoic as ever, which Artie expected. Mahmoud smiled and gave her a thumb’s up.

“Your wife is in the audience, right?” Jordan asked.

“Oh, yeah. She’s right there with all of my sisters and my mother and my grandparents and my best friends. Quinn.” Artie motioned to her with a flick of her hand.

Quinn stood, her long hair falling to her back as she did so. “Hi.” She turned and waved to the audience. They applauded her. Artie clapped right along with them. She was not sure what she had done so good in a past life to get Quinn in this one, but she would love to high-five her past self for getting it right.

“So, what you’re saying is I should be interviewing your wife?” Jordan smiled, her perfect teeth sparkling.

Artie grinned, shifting her body into a more comfortable manner, both legs together and tucked in close to the couch. “Oh, believe me, I tried to get her to come up here with me and she refused.” She felt like Quinn deserved most of the credit, wasting time and her first book on Artie’s life rather than focusing on her crime mysteries.

“It’s her story, not mine. I just made sense of it and wrote it up. All the words are her voice,” Quinn said, shaking her head.

Jordan nodded and then turned her attention back to Artie. “And your mom is the audience, huh?” Her brow furrowed a little, like she did not understand why Artie’s mother would be there considering the subject matter of the book.

“Oh, yeah. She’s right there.” Artie pointed to her mother, who waved for a brief moment. “Everyone sitting there for me knows about the book and they’ve read it. There’s no secrets about what I talk about. I discussed it with them while we were working on it. Even though the book is from my perspective, I got a lot of feedback from my family. I wanted to tackle issues that held deep meaning to me in the book and offer solutions I feel work because I’m good evidence of it and also offer ideas that I’m certain don’t work because I’ve lived through them or witnessed them fall apart. I think people need to be aware we are all different. Feel free to try my suggestions, but if they don’t work for you, it doesn’t mean you failed.” 

Jordan nodded. “It also doesn’t mean you’re a liar.”

“Right. Again, I want to stress, these solutions worked for me. I suggest what I can to those I counsel as well.”

“Oh, yes, you are a counselor for teens, correct?”

Artie nodded. “I’ve been counseling teens for a few years now… professionally. Before I had the job, I had my sisters.”

Jordan chuckled and looked at the audience. “If you folks are curious what she means by that, make sure you read the book.” She turned her attention back to Artie. “So, how did you cope with being your mother’s emotional support for so long?” She shook her head and waved her hands. “You know what, let’s back up. Let’s tell everyone about your book, in case they haven’t read it, but without serious spoilers. Although, I have to say, if you haven’t read this book, shame on you. It hits a lot of issues and deals with them in a real way.”

Artie nodded and clapped her hands together. “Well, I talk a great deal about having older children become second parents to their younger siblings and children ending up emotional support for their parents. For me, I was my sisters’ father and my mother’s husband. It was made more complicated because for most of my life I identified as male and told everyone I was a boy. Now, before anyone gets creeped out or starts yelling insults, when I say I was my mother’s husband, I was her emotional support and I handled household issues that you’d usually leave to a husband. I was the man of the house. My mother dated and things, obviously.” Artie motioned to her siblings. “Now, the way a child is going to adapt and adjust to these roles in life all depend on the child. I happened to relish my role most of the time, but as I grew older, I realized the problems it caused in our family, myself included. I felt I was enabling my mother’s behavior in finding bad boyfriends.”

Jordan rubbed her chin and shifted in her chair a little. “Tell us a little about that.”

Artie gnawed on her bottom lip for a second. It felt odd to talk about this, even though she had a book on it. The book was easier, as it was simply telling her story to Quinn and then helping her sort out whatever Quinn put to page. “Well, because my mother knew she could depend on me to take care of my sisters and to support her through any type of drama she might have been going through, she didn’t need to seek out a partner for those things. She also didn’t need to learn to do better in picking partners or protecting herself because I was there. All she really needed from a partner was physical intimacy and my mother was young when she had me. In your twenties you don’t make the best decisions, but my mother continued this behavior and she was able to get away with it because she didn’t need someone in her life she could count on because she had me.” 

Jordan turned to her mother. “Do you think that’s true?”

Artie swallowed as her stomach twisted. She did not like her mother being questioned over this, but to her credit, Anna sat up straight, tall, and proud. Her mother had read the book more than once, reflected on it, discussed it at length with Artie. But, as Artie found out, this, a public forum, was so different.

Anna smiled a little and shrugged. “I think it’s partially true. Not every man I ended up with was a terror, but too many of them were. I ruined two rather good relationships and I’m sure it’s partially because I didn’t think I needed them and I could do whatever I wanted. Anything serious, I could depend on Artie for it, even when she was little. She was always dependable and determined.”

“And do you think your relying on her caused problems?” Jordan asked.

“Of course it caused problems. I didn’t realize it at the time. I didn’t start to consider it until she was an adult and yelled at me about what I was doing. She missed out on a good deal of her childhood and had to deal with things a child shouldn’t have to,” her mother answered.

“And that’s something I realized, but didn’t really put a name to it,” Artie chimed in, mostly to help get her mother out of the conversation. She was not sure if her mother was okay with suddenly being the center of attention and she did not want Anna bothered if she was not okay with it. “While I was acting as ‘father’ to my sisters, I did my best to make sure they could have a childhood, but I was also able to take from my life and know what sort of responsibilities I could put on them.”

Jordan glanced at the pantheon. “So, you think they had a better childhood than you?”

Artie’s brow furrowed as she thought on it. “I wouldn’t say better. I don’t think it’s fair to compare our childhoods. I don’t regret the way I grew up because I like the person I became. But, on a different person, things might be different. I’m sure even my own sisters probably look at me and think they would do things differently from me.”

“Do you mind if I turn that question on them?” Jordan asked.

Artie shrugged. “They’ll answer if they’re comfortable with it.” She would be able to tell if they were not and they would probably say something.

Jordan turned to the pantheon. “Ladies?”

The twins looked at each other and then Venus spoke up. “There are things Artie does we know we wouldn’t be able to pull off.” She motioned between her and Aphrodite. “The finical responsibility alone would’ve crushed us.”

Aphrodite laughed. “She had us pay for our own softball equipment in high school and we were dead the first two years. We kept looking at each other like, ‘how?’ and ‘where does one get money?’ and ‘what is this job thing Artie keeps talking about?’”

Artie chuckled. “They had a job.”

“But, it didn’t pay what we needed and at first we didn’t understand what we were doing wrong,” Venus said.

Aphrodite jumped in. “Well, we thought we were doing something wrong.”

Venus nodded and pointed to her twin. “Right. But, Artie taught us to buckle down and you go after what you want hard. She never had to say it. We just saw it when we looked at her. We saw it when she paid bills. We saw it whenever we ate a meal or stuff like that. We saw it when we eventually had to sit down with her and figure our own money situation out. Despite it all, I know people might look at us like we’re a weird family, but Artie was a great parent to us and still is.”

Jordan nodded. “So, you still think of her as your ‘father’?”

“She is,” Tia chimed in with a bright smile. “And, yeah, people think it’s weird, but she takes care of us.”

“Like I said, what happened with me might not happen with everyone. The book is to help people deal with the situation like this and really how to avoid it because regardless of my sisters thinking of me as a great parent and me not minding the role, it’s still not a role I should have had,” Artie said.

“This is true. What about this thing where you considered yourself a boy, male. You make it sound like you can grow out of being transgender,” Jordan said. This got a reaction from the undoubtedly largely LGBTQ audience. There were low groans and hisses.

Artie shook her head. “Far from it. I still identify as male, actually. Gender doesn’t have to be one thing, which is something I’ve learned over the years and I touch on in the book.” 

Jordan smiled. “I enjoyed the little connection you made with your gender fluidity and your wife’s sexual fluidity.”

“It was something we both could work on and relate to.”

“So, you started out believing you were transgender, but as you grew you felt you were more gender fluid?”

Artie licked her lips. “This is something I’ve been having trouble put into words. It’s hard to help make sense of it for people. I merely came to a point in my life where I can accept biologically I am female. It doesn’t really have any bearing on my life, not to say it’s like that for everyone. I can use female pronouns and not have a problem with it, but I used.”

Jordan perked up a little. “Do you want to tell us about that? I know you talk about it at length in the book.” 

“The book handles it better than I could right here. I got into a lot of fights throughout my life for being accused of being a girl or being associated with being a girl, though.”

“Because you thought you were a boy, but did you ever feel like a boy?” Jordan asked.

“I still feel like a boy. I never felt like I was in the wrong body, but I felt like I was being assigned the wrong role. It’s like if life was a play and I’d been cast as the princess, but I showed up dressed a knight. I was totally ready to slay a dragon, but people kept trying to put me in a tower. That’s just not who I am. I want to help people understand that just because I can say biologically I’m a woman doesn’t mean I’m comfortable being placed in things people consider ‘female.’ I don’t want to put in makeup and get my nails done and put on a pretty dress and whatever else society says a woman does. Because gender roles are constantly evolving, I can now do the things I’m comfortable with and I don’t have to say ‘this is boy stuff.’ It just took me a while to get there.” 

Jordan nodded and rubbed her chin again. “So, you’ve never been uncomfortable with your body?”

Artie scoffed. “Hell, yes, I have. I’m human. While I may never have thought I was in the wrong body, I wanted to change a lot of things about this body. If I could have my way, I’d be taller, first off.”

“Says the woman who measures in at 5’9”.”

“I’d be a short guy, though.”

Jordan laughed. “You talk about how you tried to change your body a couple of times in the book.”

“Yeah, I wanted to tackle image issues and I had a few. I’m still into body building and have been since I was about twelve years old. In high school, I wanted to be beyond ripped for a couple of different reasons and went to extreme lengths to make it happen. So, parents should be aware, drug use doesn’t always have to mean getting high and steroids can be a problem if you have a daughter, even though I identified as a boy at the time and would technically consider myself a son.”

“You say you have a friend who was doing the same and she was a girl.”

“Right. She’s right there.” Artie pointed to Vega, who scowled to the point the look should have killed Artie on the spot. Artie laughed. “We were pumped in high school and she’s always considered herself female. So, this is something to watch for if you have an athlete point blank. I was very aware of it with the twins because they play softball and with Tia because she plays soccer. I already knew what I did, so I watched for signs with them.” Artie smiled at the three. “I have to say, they’re smarter about their bodies than I was.” 

Jordan smiled, too. “And the last thing you tackle in the book, which is funny, being gay, but not really.”

Artie laughed. “Right. I didn’t realize it until Vega pointed out to me. My whole sexual life, I considered myself a lesbian, even when I was identifying as male. Then, Vega pointed out that I’m actually straight because I identify as male.”

Jordan chuckled. “This sounds like a story. Do you want to tell it?” 

Artie shook her head. “I do not. There are children around here first of all. Second of all, it’s seriously embarrassing. It’s funny to me now, but it’s really just labels at this point. Considering everything else I talk about in the book, being a lesbian probably gets the least attention mostly because this isn’t something I struggled with at all. What I did struggle with was exploring my sexuality more beyond just ‘I’m a lesbian’ and it wasn’t something I was able to do until I met my wife. For me, this actually helped me realize life is a journey and we’re forever changing, so why label ourselves in the first place?”

Jordan chuckled. “Yet you still do label yourself. You still consider yourself a lesbian?”

“Never stopped, even when Vega pointed out I was actually straight. For me, it’s fine for you to try to order your universe. This is going to keep you sane, but you should know, just like you order items on a shelf, you can move items as you please and change the order of things. That’s what I get from my gender labels and sexuality. I’ve come to consider my gender fluid in the sense that I’m biologically a woman, but my gender tends to flow into male. It’s just who I am. I was able to take my gender item and move it from one place on the shelf to another as I grew and better understood myself. I was also able to change the label on the item to something I felt was more accurate and relabeling it and moving it didn’t mess up the other items on my shelf.”

“Now, is this what you counsel teens about?” Jordan asked.

Artie laughed. “You’re going into deep territory. I counsel on everything, not just about them labeling themselves.”

“How do the teens approach you? Do they come into your office and first wonder about you? Like ‘man or woman’ or ‘young or old’? How old are you, anyway?” the host asked.

Artie snickered. “Wow, not pulling any punches, huh? Asking the tough questions. I’m twenty-six. My teens are open with me. A lot of them think it’s cool that they can’t tell if I’m a man or woman when they walk in the room. They like to see I’m comfortable with who I am and it helps get them to be comfortable with who they are. I’ve got a couple of them that keep wanting to put a fake mustache on me and conduct a social experiment.”

Jordan’s eyes went wide and she glanced at the audience. “A social experiment?”

“There’s a couple they want to try, but the main one is how would people react to finding out I’m a woman, but looking as I do with the mustache. They’re clearly mean-spirits imps,” Artie remarked. Her kids would appreciate her bringing them up and several of them actually requested she talk about their “social experiment” if she got the chance. 

“Helping to prepare the next generation of social scientists, hmm?”

Artie grinned. “Doing my best.”

“Okay, let’s get back to your book and try to get a little more in depth on the issues you tackle while we have the time,” Jordan said.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie let loose a long breath as she flopped into a chair backstage as soon as the whole matter was over. Before she had a chance to gather her thoughts, her sisters piled on her. She groaned as she tried to fight her way from under five big bodies. She got the impression they did not realize how big they were now.

“Get off me! You guys are heavy! Especially you, Dite!” Artie teased.

“What? That’s Venus’s fat butt!” Aphrodite pulled back a bit, needing Artie to see her scowl.

“You always blame me when we both know you’re the one who always has two slices of cake!” Venus huffed.

“You’re both fat,” Tia declared.

“You’re all heavy. Get off.” Artie tried to push them off, but there was no use. The twins were taller than she was now and definitely weighed more than she did when their weight was combined. Hell, Tia was almost her height and probably still growing, as she had proven a few months ago when she sprouted an inch. Out of the three them, Artie was certain it would be Tia to one day shame her in muscles, as she worked out whenever she could with Artie and Vega. Tia would break hearts, on purpose or not.

The sisters all giggled as they made their way off. Artie climbed to her feet and sought refuge by Quinn. The pantheon would never do anything to endanger everyone’s beloved Quinn.

“Good show, Art,” Quinn said as she put her arms around Artie’s waist.

“I was just about to say the same thing,” Jordan said as she walked over. She reached out and shook Artie’s hand for the third time that day; the second occurred when their interview ended. “I’m happy you came on. I read your book twice now and it touched me because my brother raised me and I never thought about how it might have affected him until now.”

“How is your brother?” Artie asked.

“He’s good. He’s an amazing guy. We had horrible parents, but he was great and it’s thanks to him I’m a success. He sacrificed a lot to get me here,” she replied.

Venus grinned. “Make sure you call him and thank him.”

“Oh, I’m dedicating this show to him and taking him to dinner whenever I can from now on. It does take a special breed to raise a child while being a child, a well adjusted child at that,” Jordan said.

“Thank you for having me. I’m glad you got something from the book,” Artie said.

“Hey, I hope you keep writing… or rambling. I hope you keep rambling and your wife keeps making sense of it and typing it up.” Jordan tossed a smile Quinn’s way.

Quinn smiled back. “I plan on it.”

Artie puffed out her chest a little. “You heard the woman.”

“I hope we can get you back on sometime. You’re doing good work with your LGBTQ teens, I hear,” Jordan said.

“I do my best,” Artie replied.

“Artie puts her all into whatever she does, which is why things always turn out okay,” Aphrodite declared with her chin in the air.

“Yup!” Juno and Tia concerned.

“And you travel with your own fan club,” Jordan remarked.

“Nope. Just a great family,” Artie said. She could not ask for a better group and she knew that. She would keep them close and cherish them all the time. She leaned down and kissed Quinn’s cheek.

“What was that for?” Quinn asked.

“Because I love you,” Artie answered. “And because I love the rest of you, dinner is my treat, provided everyone only has one meal.” If not, she would be washing dishes in the restaurant to pay off their bill. All of her sisters groaned, even Juno and Diana.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got your back as always,” Vega said. Artie smiled. One of the things she had not really been able to touch on in her book was how much having Vega in her life turned her into who she was. It was not that she did not want to talk about it, but Vega did not want to be discussed at length in any way, shape, or form, which Artie expected. She respected that.

“Then, let’s go get this grub,” Artie said. Now, there were cheers from her sisters, who would definitely eat their way through Artie’s wallet right into Vega’s.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: see Artie and Quinn as adults, trying to adult together as a married couple.


	2. Moving On Up

2: Moving On Up

Quinn walked into the living room and smiled at the sight that greeted her. Artie was asleep on the couch. She looked peaceful, face relaxed and curled up in her house clothes of a sleeveless tee and basketball shorts. There were papers all over the coffee table. Artie had the bad habit of bringing her work home with her, even though she knew she would get reprimanded about it. Quinn could only help Artie put the work down, step away from it, and take time for herself. Quinn thought Artie went into the wrong profession for the right reasons and she hoped her spouse did not burn herself out.

Quinn leaned down and gathered up the papers and files. At the top, she noticed real estate listings. She knew Artie was not in the hunt for a new apartment. They rather liked the one they were in, despite the size. _What’s going on?_

“Don’t clean up!” Artie hopped up, rubbing her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth fell open. Quinn would have thought she was talking in her sleep, but her protest was too on point.

“Babe, this is a mess,” Quinn replied, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Yawning, Artie reached for the ceiling with one hand and opened one eye. “Need that stuff.”

Quinn’s brow furrowed. “Why do you need this stuff?” She scoffed. “And I told you about working at home. This is home. It’s supposed to be a place for you to relax. So, yes, I’m cleaning up.”

Artie shook her head and rubbed her closed eye. “Not work like that.”

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “Not work like that? What are you talking about?”

Artie yawned again. “Gimme a moment.”

Quinn smiled a little and settled in next to Artie. Artie wasted no time wrapping her arms around Quinn and pulling her close. Quinn cuddled in, loving any excuse to be close to her spouse. Artie caressed Quinn’s hip.

“I’m thinking about opening an office,” Artie said.

“Opening an office?” Quinn echoed. It was something Artie spoke on before she even finished her degrees, but she had not brought it up recently. They had so many other things to focus on, especially when they started Artie’s book.

“Yeah. I think now would be the time for it. The spot on TV has me popular and we’ve got extra money from the book sales. I was looking for a space. What do you think?”

Quinn scratched her head. “You want to open your own office?” 

“Yeah. This is my next logical step, right?” Artie rolled her shoulders and yawned a little.

Quinn nodded. “I know you want to do that. I didn’t think you were looking into it so soon.” She thought they would save more money. 

“Like I said, the TV spot kind of made me popular, so I should capitalize on it. I’ll be able to set my own hours,” Artie said with a hopeful smile. 

Quinn smiled back. “Well, you know I’ll be happy you can relax a little more and take more time for yourself.”

Artie kissed the side of her head. “You worry about me too much.”

Quinn drew back to look at her spouse. “That’s impossible. Someone has to worry about you, first off. You worry about everyone else and you don’t take care of yourself. We both know that.” The only time Artie took time for herself was when she went to the gym.

Artie grinned and hugged her tight. “I don’t have to worry about me because you’re here for that.”

“Okay, so tell me about this office space you want?” Quinn inquired, putting down the papers she had picked up.

Artie reached over to the pile on the coffee table and grabbed a couple of folders. “I printed some stuff out. I’m not looking for anything big or too far. I like being around this area.”

Quinn nodded. Artie’s job was barely fifteen minutes away. Artie’s family, her mother and sisters, were barely fifteen minutes away. It was good in a way, but also exhausting. Artie was never far from the things that drained her energy, but then again, she was also never far from the people who always put a smile on her face.

“Is there any good office space in this area?” Quinn asked. They lived in a quaint little residential area, but not too far there was a mall and other stores.

Artie sighed and shuffled through her papers. “Not so far, no. None of it is really good.” She gave Quinn a small, lopsided smile.

Quinn chuckled and kissed Artie’s cheek. “Take your time, love. I don’t want you to rush into this and just buy any old place. You want the location to be perfect for you and for clients. There will be other books and TV spots. This won’t be your only moment.”

Artie nodded. “That’s true.”

“Why didn’t you ask me to help?” It hurt a little think that Artie had finally seriously started looking into an office space and she had not mentioned it to Quinn.

“I wanted to narrow it down a little before I brought it to you. I only just started looking at stuff about a week ago for a few spare moments and nothing really jumped out at me. I’m not sure how serious I am about it.” Artie sighed and ran her hand through her short hair to get it out of her face.

Quinn shook her head. “Love, you printed out spaces. You’re serious about it.”

“Yeah, but they’re not spaces I like.”

“But, you printed out spaces. You’re serious enough about it. So, how about we get on the computer and really look at places.”

“Can we even afford this?”

Quinn sucked her teeth. “Stop trying to talk yourself out of it.” They were on quite a tight budget. Artie did not make a lot of money and Quinn worked in human resources for a small company. She made a little more than Artie, but her job was slow often and that allowed her to also do freelance writing and editing, as well as work on her own writing. Artie was used to living on a budget and Quinn had learned in the past six years. They always made sure to put money away, saving whatever they could, for times like now.

“I just… We’re barely getting by.” Artie sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Maybe I should get another job.”

Quinn grabbed Artie’s hand and clutched it tightly. “Baby, don’t do this to yourself. Stop worrying and backpedaling. We both know your next step is your own office and seeing clients. We’ve saved for this.” It was hard to save with them helping out with Artie’s sisters, but they always did the best the could.

“We’ve saved pennies.”

Quinn moved the papers out of Artie’s hand and slid into Artie’s lap. She straddled Artie’s thighs and propped herself up to look into Artie’s eyes. Artie’s hands immediately went to her waist and worked their way under her t-shirt, pressed against her back.

“You listen to me, we’re going to grab the computer and seriously look for spaces for you to open your office. We’ll find something and we’ll manage,” Quinn stated.

Artie sighed. “How? I mean, we’re already stretched.”

“We’re not stretched. We make rent, we pay bills, and we help with tuition, but we still manage to save a little. Then, like you said, we’ve got some money from book sales and you’re right. After having that TV spot, this is a good time to start your own office. Your kids like you and I’m sure they’ll find their way to your office and if not, you can always split your time.” Quinn’s job was just a job, but Artie’s career was exactly what she wanted and Quinn wanted to do everything they could to get her on the next place in her path. Artie did that for her, making sure she had a place to write, distracting the Pantheon whenever Quinn needed time to herself, and everything in between.

Artie smiled a bit. “How did I get so lucky to have you?”

“I think it was the Pantheon. They put you over the top.” Quinn grinned.

Artie nuzzled her and kissed her neck. “I mean it, princess. It was like you were carved for me. Some wonderful artist took a block of beautiful marble and sculpted you to be my perfect match and then they breathed life into you and I was somehow lucky enough to stumble across you.”

Quinn shook her head. “I’m fairly certain I was the one who stumbled across you and I love you, Art. You know that. You support me and I support you. So, let’s look at office spaces and let’s find you some place to set up an office and let’s move you to the next level.”

Artie leaned down to give her a gentle kiss, warm, loving lips against her own. “Have I told you I love you?”

Quinn gave a long, dramatic sigh, putting the back of her hand to her forehead. “It’s been several long minutes.”

“Well, I love you.”

Quinn chuckled and kissed Artie. “I love you, too. Now, let’s do some office hunting.”

And just like that, they were looking for an office.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the couple at home with company.


	3. A Life Together

3: A Life Together

Artie came in from work and was not surprised to find her middle sister, Hestia, more affectionately known as Tia, in the kitchen making a sandwich. Tia was in high school and often found herself at the apartment, as it was closer to her school than the house was, not by much, but she enjoyed that excuse. It also gave her a chance to have time to herself.

“You gonna make me one, too?” Artie teased as she grabbed Tia into a one-armed hug. Tia leaned into her in return.

“It’s just peanut butter and jelly. You still want one?” Tia asked as she put her two pieces of bread together and put it on a paper towel as she started work on another.

Artie nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t eat lunch. Don’t tell Quinn.” Her stomach grumbled a little. She missed lunch, trying to get through some paperwork, her least favorite part of her job.

Tia scoffed. “She’ll know anyway.”

Artie could not deny that. Quinn would know. Quinn always knew. Just like Quinn would know she brought work home, even if she was done by the time Quinn got in. But, it did not stop Artie from doing it. She went to the sofa, put her things down and started in on more paperwork.

“Sandwich.” Tia shoved the food under Artie’s nose as she flopped down on the opposite end of the couch.

“Thanks.” Artie took the sandwich and took a huge bite out of it immediately. She moaned like it was greatest thing she ever tasted. She had to stop skipping lunch. Tia chuckled at the noise and took a huge bite out of her sandwich.

“Why are you home so early? Don’t you usually go to the gym after work?” Tia asked. She joined Artie and Vega three days out of the week.

“Tuesday.”

“Ah. Forgot,” Tia replied. On Tuesdays, Artie came home and worked on work.

“You should really try to avoid growing up if you can, Tia,” Artie remarked as she pulled more folders out of her bag with one hand while making sure to keep a good hold on her sandwich with the other.

“I don’t think it’s avoidable. Aren’t you supposed to not bring work home? Quinn’s gonna be mad at you,” Tia said before taking another huge bite out of her sandwich. She would be done with the next bite, but she made herself two, so she was all right.

“Well, she’ll be mad at me when she finds out I didn’t eat lunch. But, and this is where my super power comes in, I won’t be here when she realizes this,” Artie replied. 

Tia arched an eyebrow. “Where you gonna be?” 

“I’m gonna go to the gym. See, the trick here is to let her realize I’ve done these things, but not be around. This way, I go from getting yelled at to just a gentle scolding when I finally come in.” Artie was not sure if she should be telling Tia this, but it seemed like good life advice she should pass on. One day Tia might have a significant other and she would need to know there were ways to avoid being in trouble.

Tia stared at her with a wrinkled brow. “Is that honest?”

Glancing at her little sister, Artie laughed, as that was a good question. “I have no idea, but I do know I don’t like getting in trouble.”

Tia scratched her chin. “Me neither.”

“And we do what we can to get out of it. Besides, she’s on to me. She just lets me do it to feel like I’m getting away with something.” Artie shrugged. It made her appreciate Quinn more.

Tia regarded Artie with a tilted head. “You do that, too?”

“I’m sure we all do it an extent, humans I mean.”

“So, you know when Quinn’s done something and you let her think she’s sliding, even though you know what she’s doing?” Tia started in on her second sandwich, which would vanish in three bites just like the first one.

Artie finished off her sandwich. “There are nights when Quinn will stay on her laptop, writing and rewriting things. I understand she has a writing time and all, but when she’s literally just staring at the computer for hours, I don’t like that. I’ll grab her and pull her away, just to get her to relax, watch shows or movies she likes. She’ll come up with little excuses to get up and she goes back to the computer for a few minutes. I act like I don’t notice.”

“Because her writing is important to her.”

Artie nodded. “There’s that and I know she’ll worry about it if she doesn’t do these little checks. In the end, I’ll make a joke or whatever to let her know I noticed.”

“So, you don’t even gently scold her over it?”

Artie shrugged. “I guess not.” It never occurred to her to reprimand Quinn unless it was something serious.

Tia nodded. “I know you don’t like being an adult because it kinda takes into the time you want to spend at the gym, but you’re doing pretty good with the adult thing. You got a beautiful, smart wife and all, right?”

Artie smiled. “That’s true.”

Tia ticked off two fingers. “And you went on TV.”

“Also true.”

“Is that why you’re moving?” Tia asked.

Artie blinked. “Wait, what?” How did they go from a fairly normal conversation to moving?

Tia pointed to the desk in the corner. Their version of a home office. It was where Quinn did her writing and Tia sometimes did her homework. It was also where Quinn’s laptop tended to rest.

“There was a tab with apartment listings and stuff open,” Tia stated.

Artie scoffed and nudged Tia with her shoulder, forcing the teen over a little. “Those are for offices, nosey.”

Tia caught herself and sat back upright. “You’re gonna open an office?”

“That’s the plan. We’ve narrowed it down to the ones open on the computer.”

Tia shifted, turning her full body to regard Artie. “So, you’re going to do counseling in an office now?”

Artie nodded. “That’s the plan.”

“Oh.” Tia looked down at her feet. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You know I’m not planning to go far if I ever do move.”

Tia nodded. “I know… It’s just…” She sighed and focused on shoving her remaining sandwich into her face rather than talking.

“Don’t worry. I’m not taking Quinn from you.” Artie grinned.

Tia chuckled, even though they both knew the main reason Tia came over so often was to be around Quinn. Sometimes, if Artie thought too much on it, the thought stung. Tia was her sister, her glasses buddy, her birthday buddy, and she clearly preferred Quinn to Artie. But, mostly, Artie was happy Tia had Quinn in her life.

Tia had what the twins like to call “generic middle child syndrome.” Artie refused to make fun of Tia for her desire for attention, a want to feel special. Quinn made Tia feel special and Artie could not fault her sister’s love of that. After all, it was one of the reasons Artie loved Quinn.

“You finished your homework?” Artie asked after a long moment of silence. They had finished their sandwiches and Tia had thrown out the paper towels they used instead of plates.

“Yeah. I got an essay, though. Quinn said she’ll help me and I guess since you’re gonna be at the gym, she’ll probably drive me home after we’re done.”

Artie nodded. That rundown could have easily been any given day in the house. So, she finished up her work and kissed Tia on the side of the head before leaving to head to the gym, which was thankfully a few blocks away.

-8-8-8-8-

“Hey, Tia,” Quinn said as she entered the apartment. Tia was on the couch, watching a movie. Quinn looked for some sign of her spouse. “Is Artie gone?”

“She went to the gym. She said she’ll be back in an hour,” Tia replied.

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “And you didn’t go?”

“My essay. You agreed to help. Besides, it’s not my usual day and Artie said she was going to go pretty hard today anyway.”

Quinn nodded and her eyes fell to the coffee table, seeing evidence of why Artie left for the gym on a Tuesday night. “Of course she did.” She looked back at Tia. “Give me a minute to get settled and then we’ll start your essay, okay?”

Tia waved the question off. “Yeah, take your time.”

“You’re going to stay for dinner?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I should check and see if I should make enough for the Bug and Piglet.” Most of the time if she or Artie cooked, they would take the food over to Anna’s house. It saved Anna the trouble of cooking and allowed her time to sleep, as she still worked nights. They also tended to stay the night most of the time since it was just Tia with the two younger girls now. While Tia was as old as the twins were when they used to watch their sisters, there was only one of her and Artie felt better not putting that much responsibility on Tia.

“Can we have pepper steak?” Tia requested with a wide smile.

Quinn chuckled, but nodded. Tia had gone shopping with her a few days ago, so she knew there was pepper steak waiting. More often than not, she let Tia pick what they had for dinner. It was a new thing for Tia, who often had to put up with whatever the twins wanted or whatever the youngest two wanted. It was tough being too young and too old at the same time. So, even if Artie was there and might not want what Tia wanted, they both conceded to Tia.

Quinn texted Artie to let her know what they would be eating. Artie might or might not have it. As the years crept by, Artie ate less and less meat. Quinn doubted her spouse would ever go completely vegetarian, not with the way she loved Thanksgiving turkey and ordered chili fries whenever they were available.

“Of course, I should be happy she isn’t just trying to live off of gummy bears and energy bars anymore,” Quinn commented.

Artie eventually texted her back that she would eat the pepper steak, which was good since Quinn already put the food on. By the time Artie returned, Quinn was on the couch with Tia, working on Tia’s essay. Artie grinned as she walked by them, but Quinn narrowed her gaze on her spouse.

“I didn’t do it,” Artie said.

“You did because you never clean up,” Quinn replied.

Artie had the decency to blush. Quinn wondered if Artie would ever figure out that if she just picked up after herself, she might actually get away with something. _Of course, she probably already figured that out and just leaves things around to humor me_.

“Would you believe I’m sorry?” Artie asked.

“Maybe if it was an apology and not a question. Beyond that, you know better than to work in here,” Quinn replied.

Artie winced. “I know. I know. I’m sorry. I promise.”

Quinn rolled her eyes, but did not say anything. Artie went and changed clothes before joining them on the sofa. She grabbed Quinn to her, but Quinn focused on Tia’s essay. Then, when the food was done, they loaded up into the car, driving Tia home and sitting with Juno and Diana. They had dinner together and then it was bedtime for the kids. Diana, even at nine, still enjoyed bedtime stories and read book series with Artie. She was the only fourth grader in her school to know about the _Lord of the Rings_ series and she was quite proud she knew more about _Harry Potter_ than the few kids in her class who had seen the movies. When everyone was in bed and lights were out, Artie and Quinn made their bed on the sofa.

“I can’t believe we have a perfectly good queen-sized bed less than fifteen minutes away and we’re sleeping on the couch,” Quinn said as she made herself comfortable on top of Artie.

Artie smiled. “You know love it.” She wrapped her arms around Quinn. It was to cuddle, but it was also to make sure Quinn did not fall off of the couch. Artie lost her room to Tia when she and Quinn got their apartment. Artie felt it was time for Tia to have her own space. A teenager should have her own room, Artie always said. 

“I love you and I think moments like this make it so obvious.”

Artie leaned up and kissed Quinn. “Yeah, I know. If you want, we can go sleep in my mother’s bed.” 

While Quinn doubted Anna’s bed had seen any sort of action in a long time, she still did not like the idea. “No, that’s a little creepy to me. Same as going to sleep in one of the twin’s bed, so don’t suggest that.”

“It could be worse. The Piglet could try to squeeze in here with us.”

Quinn laughed, even though it was a possibility. Diana still liked to climb into bed with them, but only when there was an actual bed. She had tried once to sleep with them on the sofa and found it so uncomfortable and impossible she thought they were crazy for doing it whenever they stayed over. 

“Quinn…” Artie breathed, regret wafting from her tone.

“Don’t say anything. It’s fine.” Quinn was very aware of what she signed up for when she married Artie. Artie came with lots of family attached. None of this would ever be a deal-breaker for Quinn. In fact, it made the deal so much sweeter, as she had gained a loving family with Artie. It was just sometimes… well, sometimes you slept on a narrow couch when you had a comfortable bed fifteen minutes away because you could not leave three girls at home alone at night by themselves. She accepted that.

“Okay.” Artie just pulled her close and Quinn listened to the sound of Artie’s heart beat as they both drifted off to sleep.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Artie and Vega are left unsupervised to decorate Artie’s office.


	4. On Their Own

4: On Their Own

Quinn rubbed her eyes as she stared at the blank page in front of her on her computer. There should be a chapter there already, but she could not even get a sentence out. She picked up her notebook and flipped through her notes for the chapter. Every single time she looked at the chapter, she felt like there too many loose ends. Whenever she showed it to Artie, Artie was able to piece things together and figure out what the clues were to the mystery. Well before the end of it, she knew Artie would figure out who the murderer was and why the crime in the book had been committed and she did not want that to happen.

This was supposed to be her first novel. Yes, she essentially wrote the book detailing Artie’s life and Artie’s advice to anyone going through things similar to herself, but that was about Artie. She had the writing background to put it together, but it was not hers. She had several novels written, but she wanted her first published piece to be special, different. She needed Artie to not be able to figure out the damn murderer before the end of the whodunit, damn it.

“How the hell does she do that?” Quinn grumbled, scowling at her notes. She used to be able to stump readers as a teenager, but could not fool her spouse at all.

Mystery, especially murder mystery, was her passion. She had been writing these since she was about fifteen. She always had dreams of having one published, of holding a paperback in her hand with her name on it. She just needed to put together a decent story.

“Princess, I’m out,” Artie called.

“Okay.” Quinn waved, but did not turn away from the computer. She felt Artie kiss the top of her head and Artie said something as she left, but Quinn was not too sure what it was. When the front door shut, Quinn realized something just happened and she was clueless as to what it was. “Where the hell is Artie going?”

Quinn was certain they had spoken about wherever Artie was headed, but Quinn could not recall. She had been too wrapped up in changing her story, moving details around while keeping things consistent, and trying to make the most of her time. Instead, she was wasting time and now had no idea where her spouse was.

She grabbed her phone, tempted to text Artie. She really should not touch her phone while she was supposed to be writing, but she disliked not knowing what Artie was up to. She was a little embarrassed, but she would rather know than avoid looking silly. She grabbed her phone and her fingers got to work, typing out a text message was a lot easier than writing a sentence for her novel. _Hey, love, where’d you go?_

Artie’s response took a while to come, which Quinn expected. Artie was probably driving. Quinn tried to focus on her story, but she kept glancing at her phone. Now, her attention was divided between her notes and her phone. Her phone was winning, of course. A sigh of relief escaped her as soon as her phone alerted her that she got a text message.

“Went to the office. Getting it ready for my grand opening.”

Quinn slapped herself in the forehead. “No, I was supposed to help her with that!” She hit the call button.

Artie picked up on the first ring. “What’s up, Princess?”

“Why did you leave me here?” Quinn demanded.

“You were writing.” Artie said it like it explained everything, and maybe it did, but it still did not sit well with Quinn.

Sighing, Quinn palmed her face. “I told you I’d help you get everything together.” She wanted to be involved with every little bit of Artie opening her office as she could. On top of that, Artie could not be trusted to do what needed to be done for the office today. She had no sense of how to set up a room.

“It’s okay. Get your writing done.”

Quinn slumped her shoulders. “I feel bad.” She promised to help. She _wanted_ to help.

“Don’t feel bad. You picked out everything, which is more than necessary. This is really simple stuff.”

Quinn scoffed. It was simple for some people, but not Artie. “I think it would be good if I helped, though. I picked out the furniture and things, so it would be easy for me and Yvonne to figure out where everything goes.”

“It’s fine. I’m sure Tega can piece this together and everything. You should focus on your work. I know you had something going before. You’ll probably do better with me not there. Just get your work done. It’s fine.”

Quinn hated the truth in that statement. She worked best when she was alone. “Are you sure?”

“I am positive. I want you to work on your stuff, Princess. Vega and I got this office thing.”

Quinn ran her hand through her hair and sighed again. Her heart sank a little, but she might actually be able to get some work done. All Artie would let her do at the office was make suggestions where things should go, anyway. _But, they need those suggestions_. She shook that away. Yvonne would help. Everything would be all right.

“Get some writing done, Quinn. I’ll bring home some dinner,” Artie promised.

“Okay.” Quinn knew there would be no arguing with Artie now that it was done.

“Good. Love you.”

“I love you, too.” They disconnected the call and Quinn turned her attention back to her work. Okay, now that she had missed out on her weekend plans, she might as well actually get some writing done. She cracked her knuckles and got to work.

-8-8-8-8-

“So, what happened to the Princess?” Vega asked as she and Artie entered the little, plain office space that was now all hers. Furniture had been delivered, but it was up to them to move it into place.

Artie shrugged. “She was writing when I left and I left her to her writing.”

Vega frowned. “And she was okay with that? I’m surprised she wasn’t screaming at you for leaving her behind while you were on the phone.”

“Nah. She needs to use her writing time for writing. She’ll probably actually get some work done since I’m not there.” It was one of the reasons why Artie walked out without pestering Quinn.

Vega arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I usually try to go to the gym or take care of errands when it’s her writing time, but if I’m home, I just make her anxious. I move around just out her peripheral vision. I pace sometimes or exercise randomly or even when I just sit and watch TV, there’s this energy.”

Vega studied her and chuckled. “You just want to pounce her.”

“Well, can you blame me? If you were in your apartment with your wife, who you don’t get to spend enough alone time with because being an adult sucks, wouldn’t you just want to be inside of her?” Artie huffed.

Vega snickered, shaking her head. “Wow, so romantic.”

Sucking her teeth, Artie folded her arms across her chest. “Oh, please. Don’t try to make it seem like I’m some kind of pervert. So, you’re telling me you don’t want to be inside Tega all the time?”

Vega rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I wouldn’t put it that way. I mean, I know what you mean, but I hope you don’t tell her like that.”

“No. I mean, I do tell her that I love being inside of her because I totally do. But, you know, I want to cuddle with her or have dinner by candlelight, talk about whatever’s going through her mind, and then just spend the whole night making her feel good,” Artie said.

“Yeah, that sounds better than what you said the first time. Okay, so if you don’t have Quinn here, does that mean she trusts you to actually arrange the office on your own?” Vega asked.

Artie arched an eyebrow at her best friend. “You’re kidding, right? She expected Tega to be here.”

“Yeah, and you neglected to mention Tega was working today.”

Artie shrugged. She did not find out Yvonne would not be there until after she spoke with Quinn, so it was not like she outright lied. Now, she did not want to call Quinn back and explain what happened. “We can handle it, right?”

“If by handle it, you mean get in trouble by making a mess of it, yes.” Vega glanced around the small space and scratched the side of her head. “We both know we don’t have a knack for this sort of things. I’m still haunted by how they looked at us when we were planning out rooms in our own homes.”

Artie had to concede that. “So, what do we do?”

Vega opened her mouth, about to respond, but her phone chimed. Reaching into her pocket, she checked a text message. “Tega wants to know why we Quinn is under the impression she’s here to supervise us.”

Artie grimaced. “Damn. I forgot they talk.”

Vega snorted. “Yes, the downfall of all of your plans — missing the obvious.” Her phone chimed again. “We’re now getting instructions.” Her eyebrows jumped up. “Which include photos. They have zero faith in us.”

“Well, you were there for the rooms,” Artie replied. She could understand why their wives had no faith in them when it came to decorating after how they set up a couple of rooms in their homes.

Blowing out a breath, Vega scratched her head again. “Okay, so she has sent several photos she and Quinn agreed on. She says as long as the office looks like one of them or a combination of them, we’re good.”

Artie nodded. “Fine, let’s surprise them and put this together. Tell Tega when she’s done, go to the apartment and we’ll bring dinner to celebrate.”

“You’re going to make us look bad if we mess this up.”

Artie squared her shoulders and grinned. “But, we’re not going to mess this up.”

“Okay.” Vega sighed and turned her attention to her phone, her fingers gliding over the screen. Once the text was sent, they got to work. They had to pull off decorating the office or their wives would never let them live it down.

-8-8-8-8-

“Do you think it was mean of me to send them pictures?” Yvonne asked as she made herself comfortable on the sofa right next to Quinn. Quinn had made the best use of her time alone, getting more done than she thought she would, finishing a couple of chapters of her book.

“Why would that be mean? Decorating or putting together a room isn’t a talent of theirs. They have many other talents, most of which we praise them for on the daily basis. This isn’t one of them,” Quinn replied as she tucked her feet underneath her.

“So true.”

“Besides, we did all of that research and we picked out the furniture. It shouldn’t go to waste.”

Yvonne nodded and threw her legs over Quinn’s. “Agreed. How do you think they did?”

Quinn glanced at the time. “I’m not sure. With how long they’re taking, I’m a little worried. I assumed when you told me you sent them the pictures, it would take a couple of hours, but that was a couple of hours ago.”

“Well, they did say they were bringing dinner.”

Quinn nodded, but that did not explain why it was taking their spouses so long. She hoped they did not have trouble. She texted Artie a couple of times after Yvonne arrived to see if Artie wanted them to come, but Artie kept saying everything was fine. _Of course, she might’ve just been saying that because she didn’t want to interrupt my writing time_.

Artie would appreciate that she made such good use of her time. She worked best when she was alone, especially when Artie was not around. Artie was distracting in a couple of ways. One, she always thought about how Artie figured out her mysteries. Two, she just wanted to cuddle up with Artie, writing be damned.

Quinn’s mind was taken away from how she spent her time as the sound of keys in the door caught her attention. She and Yvonne turned to the door just as it opened. Artie and Vega stepped through, talking to each other until they closed the door behind them. They then turned their attention to their wives.

“We got Thai food,” Artie announced while Vega held up their bounty.

“I knew there was a reason we married them,” Yvonne said, swatting Quinn lightly on the thigh. Quinn chuckled.

“Oh, come on. We all know why you guys married us,” Artie said with a smirk.

Quinn wagged her finger. “You finish that thought, sir, and you’re not going to like what happens.”

Artie wisely did not call her bluff, but flashed Quinn a smile that was way too innocuous for someone they all knew had a dirty mouth. Artie and Vega made themselves comfortable next to their wives and dished out the food. They even brought drinks, so there was no reason to get up. Quinn curled into Artie while Yvonne cuddled close to Vega. 

“So, show us what you did with the office. We know you took pictures,” Yvonne said before shoving some spicy noodles in her mouth.

“I took pictures,” Vega replied. “This one goofed off the whole time.” She motioned to Artie. 

“Hey, untrue! I was calling for the takeout,” Artie said, motioning to their bounty.

“Show us the pictures, please,” Quinn said, wiggling in her seat. She wanted to see what the duo ended up doing.

Vega pulled out her phone and unlocked it. She held it away from her, just enough for Quinn and Yvonne to see the shots. They both blinked, shocked at such a thorough and well done job. It did not look like any of the pictures they sent, but it was good work. 

“You even painted,” Quinn said. The walls were a warm, light blue with orange trim.

Artie nodded. “Yeah. I don’t want my kids coming into a depressing off tan color. I think the orange and blue look nice together.”

“How do you like where we hung the pictures?” Vega asked, flipping to new photos. She pointed to the couple of pictures and posters they put up.

“I’m glad you made some use of the pictures I brought and they’re spaced perfectly,” Yvonne said. It was shocking they hung the pictures well. Artie and Vega, since they were both tall, they tended to hang pictures too high. 

Quinn nodded. “It works. It’s not overpowering. Just enough to make the space look inviting.”

“You guys did such a good job. It looks really good, ready to help people,” Yvonne said. 

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. “We were worried.”

Artie chuckled and pulled Quinn closer. “Don’t worry. You two should know just how well we follow instructions.”

“I hope you don’t make this much innuendo with your clients,” Yvonne said.

“Nope. I save it special for you three. So, how did we do?” Artie inquired.

“You did good,” Quinn replied, knowing it was exactly what her spouse wanted to hear, possibly _needed_ to hear. Artie grinned and sat up a little taller. It was a good thing Quinn spoke the truth.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn is still writing, so Artie spends some quality time with her sisters.


	5. Time and Space

5: Time and Space

Artie watched Quinn as she pecked away on her computer. Quinn was in the zone, having been typing nonstop for an hour as far as Artie knew. Even when she glanced at her notes, Quinn’s fingers did not stop on the keyboard. Artie hung back, even though she wanted to go see what Quinn had. But, she would get scolded if she came any closer and she did not want to interrupt Quinn’s flow. She rubbed her hands together. 

 _Walk away, Art. Walk away. You don’t want her to get pissed and then you’re left cuddling her pillow tonight. Fuck, fuck, fuck_. She should go to the gym, but she did that earlier. She worked out for a while on her own and then Tia showed up with Vega. They were the ones to eventually pull her from the gym. She did not put up much resistance. If she stayed too long at the gym, she would get scolded, so she had come home to find Quinn still writing. It was a good thing Tia had schoolwork to do and had to go home, so she would not get in trouble for distracting Quinn, but Artie was very much in the danger zone now that it was just them.

Taking a deep breath, Artie looked around the apartment. There had to be something that could keep her entertained until Quinn was done. She could straighten out a few things, but that was a good way to get Quinn asking where everything if she did not place things exactly where the items were intended to go. Cleaning was not an option then. _Where is a member of the pantheon when you need one?_

Since no sister was in sight, Artie did the next best thing. She picked up her phone and went into the bedroom. She was not sure which sister to call. They all would want to speak with Quinn if she called. Well, the twins would understand. The twins it was.

“Artie!” Venus chirped and Artie smiled. It felt good to know they were always happy to hear from her. She made it a point to speak with them at least once a week, but tried her best to let them go and do their own thing. They kept in touch, calling her whenever they had a problem or just to talk quite often.

“Hey, Venus. Is your Greek counterpart with you?” Artie asked as she sat down on the bed. In high school they had tried very hard to be rugged individualists, but in college they seemed to be all about sticking together. They accepted the twin thing, appreciated each other, but they were still themselves.

“Yeah!” Aphrodite replied. She sounded like she was bit of a distance.

“You guys outside?”

“Nah, we’re in the student lounge, though. We’re conducting a… business meeting,” Venus replied.

Artie rolled her eyes. Their “business” was writing papers for people. She did not judge them, as it was how she got by in high school and in college. It was fairly lucrative business. She had taught them how to drum up business for it when they were juniors in high school and finally learned how to manage their time. She also made sure they knew to be careful with it and helped them set prices for their work.

“You two certainly do things your own way,” Artie said. She never told them to hold “business meetings.” She hoped they were not obvious about what they were doing.

“It’s easier to get the details people want meeting with them face to face. It seems professional, too, so we charge them more,” Venus explained.

Artie laughed. “I certainly raised two good little capitalists, but be careful about doing these things out in the open.”

“Yeah, we know. How’s Quinn?” Aphrodite asked.

“She’s writing.”

The twins made a noise. “So, how’s your office going?” Venus asked.

“I just opened it. Things are a little slow, but I’m expecting it to pick up once word gets out. I have some of my kids willing to come for one on one counseling and their parents like the idea of it. There are case workers sending kids to me, too.” She was confident that soon her office would be everything she wanted and imagined. It would just take time, like so many things in life.

“You should do another book,” Aphrodite chimed in.

“Except I didn’t write that book and you know Quinn is working on her novel.” Artie had to admit Quinn was doing a good job with her novel. She was caught up on all the chapters, except the one Quinn was in the zone with. So far, she had no idea who the killer was and she was not too sure what were clues and what were not. She was eager to know the end to see if she put things together right or find out what she missed. She would not dare interrupt that by approaching Quinn about another book between the two of them.

“How is the novel? I don’t get how you figure out the killers so fast. I mean, I almost never know,” Aphrodite said.

“You also never know how to cap the toothpaste,” Venus remarked.

“And you never know how to return my pants, but I have the good manners not to bring it up, especially in front of mixed company,” Aphrodite replied.

“Oh, I’m mixed company now?” Artie teased. Of course, “mixed company” in this case just meant someone who was not one of the twins.

“In quite a few ways,” Venus quipped.

“Just tell us about the novel, mixed company,” Aphrodite said.

Artie chuckled. “You two think you’re all that because you’re legal adults now. You know I will drive to your school and embarrass the hell out of you.” She had done it a couple of times when the twins were in high school. Sixteen had been a bitch of a year for them, all of them.

“Please, no. Now, tell us about Quinn’s book,” Venus said, her voice much more pleasant and polite now.

“There’s nothing to tell. She’s writing right now. She’s been at it for at least five hours. I don’t think I’ve seen her like this for a long time,” Artie replied. She glanced at the open door, unable to see Quinn, but she knew her wife was still hard at work.

“Ah. That explains why you called,” Venus said.

“You’re bored,” Aphrodite stated.

“Well, I don’t have a clone to keep my company,” Artie said.

“That would be way weird, like if me and Roman-me shared a spouse,” Aphrodite said.

“Wouldn’t one of you need to be bi or pan for that?” Artie asked.

“I wouldn’t share a spouse with her. I’ve seen the women Dite is attracted to. They’re sloppier than she is,” Venus remarked.

“You two are so mean to each other. I’m wondering how Tia survived you to become a semi-well-adjusted teen,” Artie said.

“She is not well adjusted,” Venus argued.

“Well, the only time I have to go up to school for her is parent-teacher conferences and the teachers love her. I also have to go when there’s a soccer game, so she’s beating you two in that field,” Artie replied. She was more than certain Tia’s blossoming came from the twins going to college and also just generally being around Quinn. Quinn still made sure Tia got special attention and helped Tia understand how amazing she was.

“We only had that one year!” Aphrodite huffed.

“One more year than Tia so far,” Artie countered.

“Anyway! When Quinn is done with her book, you should write another one together. I like rereading your book. I mean, Artie, don’t get me wrong, we’ve always appreciated the hell out of you, but with the insight in your book…” Venus just sighed.

“I feel bad for the times we acted like such brats and made things harder for you and you just took it all in stride,” Aphrodite said.

“We know we couldn’t do what you did and there’s two of us. You’re so strong,” Venus said.

“I did what I had to do. I fully believe you two would’ve stepped up if you needed to. You watched the girls when I was at school and Mom was at work. But, I’m happy you didn’t have to. You deserved your childhoods, even though I wish you had more.”

“Artie, let’s not go down this road. It’s depressing,” Aphrodite said. 

“We can tell you about our classes!” Venus offered.

Artie did not need to answer. The twins went into their college life, loving to talk about being on their own… to a degree. They were in a local college, but lived on campus. They had softball scholarships and they were still amazing at the sport. They also had academic grants. Their grades were always good, much better than their infamous junior year of high school.

They thrived in college. They had each other and stuck close, but also ventured out on their own every now and then. They were double-majors. They shared mathematics while Venus was also pursuing a degree in engineering. Aphrodite was involved in computer science. They waxed poetically about their classes, friends, and activities they had done since they last spoke to Artie.

Before Artie realized it, a couple of hours had actually gone by. The twins hung up to go in search of dinner and then Artie went to see to dinner herself. Quinn was right where she left her, typing away. Artie did not bother her until food was ready.

“Babe, dinner,” Artie called.

Quinn just sort of grunted. Artie chuckled and piled food on Quinn’s plate. She left it by the laptop and kissed the side of Quinn’s head. Quinn grunted again and Artie smiled.

“I’ll leave you be. I’ll take the pantheon some food,” Artie said.

Artie was not sure if Quinn heard her. She packed up some food and walked out of the apartment. Quinn did not text her.

-8-8-8-8-

In the past week, Quinn had written almost five more chapters for her novel. Artie was happy for her, even if it meant she had barely interacted with Quinn. She found things to do with her time. Her office still needed work. The gym was always a good distraction. Vega met her there, trying her best to keep up her physique.

“My dad should’ve warned me how much of my job would be sitting on my ass all day,” Vega growled and lifted the barbell.

“You should’ve known. You’ve observed the man work your whole life. You should get a stationary bike in your office,” Artie replied, spotting her best friend.

With a grunt, Vega lowered the bar. “You sound like my wife.” The bar went up again.

“You did it, didn’t you?” 

Vega sucked her teeth. “Well, I can’t just sit on my ass all day, can I? At least you have a basketball court and table tennis and crap at the crisis center. You can keep active while doing your job.”

“Well, soon I won’t. Hopefully, my office will eventually hit it off.” She might invest in an exercise bike or something.

Vega scoffed. “You’ll still go up to the center at least twice a week because that’s how you are and you’ll want to help the kids who can’t make it to your office. And, yeah, your office is going to be a hit sooner or later. You know what you’re doing and you know how to reach kids. It’ll be fine.” 

“The twins think I should do another book to get more buzz.”

Vega snickered a little. “It might be a good way to get in some quality time with your wife.”

Artie scoffed. “I’m happy she’s got all her writing going. She’s got me stumped and she’s about to be finished. It’ll be awesome. I’ll worry about my stuff on my own.”

Vega snorted. “You’ll worry about your stuff on your own?”

Artie growled. “You know what I mean. I’m trying to stay out of her way, so she can get done and start living her dream. I’ve got my office to keep me busy and I’ll worry about that for right now.”

“That’s how I feel.”

“Tega still buried in her cases?”

“Yeah. I’m happy for her and everything, but I miss her a lot. I know she’s proving herself and everything.” Vega sighed as she brought the bar down again.

Artie knew the feeling very well. They both knew that they had to push through, though. Their wives still loved them, but they had careers they wanted to prove themselves in. There was nothing wrong with that. She had her office and she had the gym. She had Vega. She would be there when Quinn was done with her work.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn rubbed her eyes and stared at the computer screen. The words had stopped pouring out of her. She had been on such a roll that she had been writing at work, whenever she had a free moment. There were even a few days when she woke up in the middle of the night to jot down notes. She was almost done with the first draft. Yawning, she stretched and looked around.

“Babe?” Quinn called. It was too quiet, so she knew Artie was not around, but it was worth a try. Tia was not about the place either. Quinn sighed. “Come to think of it, I don’t think Tia’s been here in a few days.” She was not sure the last time two days had passed without the apartment being graced with Tia’s presence. She missed the not-so-little teen.

She was about to check her text messages, but she saw a little note scribbled by her laptop. Artie’s messy handwriting; proof to Quinn that Artie definitely was male. Artie was at her office, straightening things up. Tia was helping. There would be pizza for dinner.

There was no pizza, though. Artie texted, needing to stay with the girls. Quinn sighed and just warmed up some food from the fridge. She eased into bed, wishing she had the car, so she could make her way to the house. Instead, she laid in bed, alone. Before she could feel lonely, her phone rang. She smiled as she answered the FaceTime call.

“Hey, love,” Quinn said as soon as Artie’s face was visible.

“Hey, Princess. Sorry I’m not home. The Bug and my namesake watched a scary movie and now every single sound is freaking them out,” Artie replied.

“I’m sorry about that. Are they awake?” She would love to see them as well. It seemed like it had been forever.

Artie gave her a pout. “No, they just fell asleep. They’re curled up next to me in the big bed.” She moved her phone for Quinn to see the two tucked on each side of Artie.

Quinn relaxed a little hearing that and seeing them. She would not have been able to sleep at the house if she had to sleep in Anna’s bed. Still, she wanted Artie’s arms around her. She wanted to comfort those two frightened girls.

“Did you call me when they first started freaking out?” Quinn asked. She missed several calls from her spouse, but there were texts, so she did not think anything of it.

“I did. I thought hearing your voice would help set them at ease, but I figured you were still writing. It’s okay. I got them to calm down.”

Quinn smiled. _She’s so good with them_. “Wait, did you watch it with them?” While Artie was great with children, she could also be a little childish herself.

“I plead the fifth to that.” 

“Artie, they’re too young for those kinds of movies!”

Artie smiled. “Well, I know that now.” 

Quinn laughed. “You should’ve known that before. Wait, let me guess, the twins were all into scary movies.”

“The twins and Tia. I watched 80s slashers with them all the time.” 

Quinn shook her head. “Baby, I am going to have to watch you if we have kids.” Of course, before that, they might need to be in the same room and speaking to each other. _When is the last time I had a conversation with her?_ Her heart thumped, feeling hollow and weak with her love so far from her.

“ _If_? I thought that was always the plan.” 

“I’m rethinking it now that I know you might scar them for life. How long did it take the girls to fall asleep?” Quinn asked.

“A couple of hours. I had to leave the lights on. They’re like melded to my sides now. They might part of me.” 

“Well, looks like we’ll be getting a divorce,” Quinn teased.

“You’re terrible.” 

“I do my best.”

“I’m sorry I’m not there to hold you, Princess.” 

“You’re holding the right people. They need you.” Probably more than Quinn. They were just little kids and Artie was their dad. The thought made Quinn’s heart thump.

“Still, I wish you were here.” 

“Then, talk to me until I fall asleep. I miss you.” Quinn knew that was her fault. She had given her writing her full attention and Artie had stepped away to give her what she needed. She appreciated the space, but she still wanted her spouse.

“You got it.” Artie then went into what the girls had done with their day. Quinn listened with a smile until she fell asleep.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the couple reconnect.


	6. It’s Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Public Service Announcement: there’s sexual activity between two women here.

6: It’s Date Night

Quinn rubbed her eyes and sighed. Her job usually did not bother her. Beyond working in the HR department, she was also a technical writer for a small, start up company. Everyone there wore many hats to keep the place going and she liked the chance to get paid for writing, even if it was just to explain how something worked. It always amazed her how poorly people could explain their own work. Artie teased her, saying this was why she was the perfect writer for Artie’s biography. Of course, being Artie’s voice was easy because she understood Artie. The folks at work… they were a mystery unto themselves sometimes. 

She was at the office, even though a lot of the time she did not need to be much of the time, especially for the writing bit of her job. It was nice to make friends, even if they were work friends. Besides, she had little desire to be home when no one else was there. Then, she got a text message from Artie.

“Gonna be late. Office work,” Artie said.

Quinn scowled, even though she was not surprised. Artie was definitely putting time and effort into her office. Quinn was proud of her. They had not seen much of each other lately. She had been in the zone with her writing before and now Artie had her office. Making matters worse, even before that, they had so much to do. Artie had work and they had to help with the girls.

“We’re losing touch,” Quinn sighed. Well, not really. There were times throughout their marriage where there was so much going on and they drifted, but they were never apart. They needed to reconnect. She knew what to do.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn settled a rose in the middle of the table, not too far from two candles. Tia was behind her, keeping an eye on some bread for her. Just as she turned, Tia passed her plates.

“Thank you,” Quinn said.

“This is really romantic. You think Artie will like it?” Tia asked.

“Yes. Your sister very much appreciates simple things. Are you okay with us staying here tonight?”

Tia nodded. “Nana and Granddad will be over, so Diana and Juno won’t get on my nerves.” 

Quinn nodded, not bothering to mention that Tia slept better when there was an adult in the house for the night. Once dinner was done, she packed some away for Tia and the family. She drove Tia home, having the car for the moment since Artie was at the gym. She hung out with the girls for a little while and then made her way back home, hoping to beat Artie there.

With the apartment empty, Quinn took a shower and put on a dark blue cocktail dress. She admired herself in the full-length mirror and sighed a bit. She was a few pounds heavier than she was when she met Artie and the dress did not fit the way she wanted it to. Sometimes, she felt fat. Sure, she had not had to wiggle into the dress and it zipped up and all, but still. It was hard not to be self-conscious when she lived with a gym nut like Artie, who was cut and built like an MMA fighter.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Artie loves you and it’s been a long while since you’ve eaten a bag of cookies in your own depression,” Quinn said to herself. She was pretty free of that habit, actually. Yes, she still got upset on occasion, but never to the extent she did not know what to do with herself beyond stuff Oreos in her mouth. “But, I don’t mind when Artie feeds ‘em to me.”

Those had been some carefree days, which were not that long ago, but seemed like a lifetime away. Before she had a full-time job and before Artie was committed to opening her office, they would spend time where they laid on the couch and just shoved junk food into each other’s mouths while a movie on TV played in the background. She sighed. They needed to do that again someday soon.

“Let’s get this dinner done first, though.” Quinn checked her hair and makeup, feeling like she looked quite beautiful and then went to wait.

Artie did not keep her waiting for long. She came in at her usual time and stopped as soon as she was in the door. Her mouth dropped open as her eyes focused on Quinn. A twinkle lit up her russet gaze.

“Is it my birthday? Why are you dressed all sexy like?” Artie asked with a smile.

“Does it really matter?” Quinn countered, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt.

Artie shook her head. “Not in the slightest. Okay, so I’m in gym clothes and smell and need to go change so my sexy can almost match your sexy.”

Quinn gave her spouse a small smirk. “First, I get kisses.”

“I would never argue that.” Artie marched over to Quinn, on a mission. There was a simple, but delicious closed mouth kiss, all tasty lips and promises of more.

Quinn smiled and hummed, feeling comfort flow through her from her forehead to her toes. “You go ahead and change. I’ll plate the food.”

“Oh, dinner and a show.” Artie openly leered at her. 

With a chuckle, Quinn gave Artie a swat to her butt. “You better get going. I don’t want to have to swat your butt again.”

Artie laughed. “I like it when you swat my butt.” 

Quinn shook her head and gave Artie another hit, just to tease her. Artie snickered as she walked off to their bedroom. Quinn went to the kitchen and made two plates of food. Artie’s was about twice the size of hers with some quinoa and kale on the side for Artie as well. Try as Quinn might, she could not acquire a taste for quinoa to share it with Artie. She then poured some juice in champagne flutes. Neither of them were real drinkers and they did not keep any type of alcohol in the apartment, even wine. Not that they were big wine drinkers and she worried about having alcohol with kids in and out of their home. 

Quinn lit the candles on the table and wished she could dim the lights. The best she could do was turn off several lights, leaving the light in the kitchen on. It meant they would not be bathed in darkness, but the true effect she desired would not be achieved. It was better than nothing, though.

“Now, I feel worthy of dining with you,” Artie commented as she stepped out of the bedroom.

Quinn turned and almost swallowed her tongue. She forgot to breathe. After entering the professional world, Artie had retired her retro formal attire for the most part for more modern suits. It was rare, but not unheard of, to find Artie in her newsboy outfits, but there were no more zoot suits and such. More often than not, she was dressed as she was now. She had on a blue suit with a yellow button down shirt with a double-breasted vest and a blue and white stripped tie.

“You’re dressed up.” Quinn felt foolish for pointing out the obvious, but she was also proud of herself for being able to speak at all. Artie filled out a suit like she was poured into them.

“Well, I assumed it was a date. You’re looking as fine as usual, so I wanted to try to catch up. Not that I ever could,” Artie commented, stepping over to Quinn.

“God, you look so good.” Quinn grabbed Artie by the lapels and pulled her down for a kiss.

“You’re being very forceful tonight. I like it.” Artie grinned.

Quinn scoffed. “I just miss you is all.” 

“I miss you, too. I’m glad we’ve got some time for each other now. Let’s sit and eat.” Artie nodded toward the table. 

Quinn nodded and they made their way to the table, which was much larger than they needed. When they picked it out, they had thoughts of the girls being over as well as Vega and Yvonne. There were times when they were all at the apartment, but then they just ate on the floor, like savages Quinn and Yvonne liked to tease them.

“Let me get this for you.” Artie pulled out Quinn’s chair, as she always did, ever the gentleman.

“Thank you.” Quinn sat and Artie pushed her in before moving to her seat.

Artie leaned down and inhaled the smell of dinner. “Smells good. It’s been a while since we’ve had a meal with just the two of us, huh? Well, beyond lunch, anyway.” 

Quinn shook her head. “Baby, it’s been months since we’ve had lunch together.” Saying it aloud made her stomach drop, even though they were together now.

Artie’s eyes went wide. “Shit, really?” 

Quinn flinched as she realized the truth of her statement. “Yes.” It had been way too long. How had they let so much time pass?

Artie frowned. “Damn it. I can’t believe I let things get that way.”

Reaching over, she took Artie’s hand and held it tight. “Baby, it wasn’t just you. We have lives.”

“But, we also have a relationship. I made a promise to myself when I married you that I would not neglect you or take you for granted,” Artie said.

Quinn sighed and got up. She moved and sat down in Artie’s lap. Artie wasted no time wrapping her arms around Quinn’s waist. Quinn leaned down for a kiss. 

“You, my love, do not take me for granted. I have never felt like you did, even when stuff like this happens. We’re building a life together,” Quinn said. 

“But, there shouldn’t be months in between times we’ve had lunch or dinner together. I want to do things and spend time with you and remind you how special you are to me,” Artie replied, giving her a little squeeze.

“Baby, I never forget how special I am to you. If anything, I’ve been a little worried that you might forget how much you mean to me. I mean, I’ve been so into my book and I missed helping you with your office and you’ve been with the girls on your own for a while now. Hell, I still haven’t even been to your office.” Quinn shook her head. If anything, she neglected Artie in favor of her writing, but at least she knew Artie understood.

“You also made me dinner. But, more than that, you’re the one who took Tia under her wing. I worried I’d lose her, but there you were. You caught her and she’s blossoming,” Artie said.

Quinn shook her head. “You raised a good kid there. I know she gave you some trouble, but she was just trying to find her way and she’s found it. You did good.” 

“No, you did good.” Artie put a hand on Quinn’s cheek and caressed Quinn as if she was made of porcelain.

Quinn could feel the blush burn her cheeks. “And you think you don’t make me feel special.”

“You are so important to me, Princess. I never want you to forget that and I don’t want you to think I take you for granted. Besides, I very much enjoy spending time with you. I always have, even when we first met.”

Quinn smiled and stared into Artie’s eyes. She never failed to see love and devotion there. She hoped Artie saw the same reason when Artie looked at her. But, even if Artie did, Quinn still wanted to do special things with Artie. She ran her hands through Artie’s short hair. 

“I get it. We both still want to do things together, even though we both know we don’t take each other for granted,” Quinn said.

“Right.”

Quinn smiled. “So…” She gave Artie a kiss. “Let’s eat this dinner.” Another kiss. “And then cuddle on the couch with a movie we won’t watch.” One more kiss. “And halfway through it, peel each other out of these damn fine clothes and pretend we don’t have work tomorrow.”

Artie grinned. “Princess, you had me at eat.”

Quinn laughed and decided to eat right where she was. Artie did not complain, holding her close, caressing her, and occasionally kissing her throughout the meal. She did the same. They caught each other up on their lives, Artie filling her in about the office and she talked about her book without giving away the ending.

“When can I read it?” Artie asked as Quinn fed her a forkful of kale.

Quinn made a “tsk” sound. “I’m not sure. I’m almost done. I guess I should give it to you before I do my first edit. You’ll be able to spot any mistakes.”

Artie grinned. “I would be honored to spot your mistakes.”

Quinn snickered and gave Artie a kiss. After, they finished eating. They cleared the table together when they were done and went to watch a movie. Quinn threw her legs over Artie’s lap. She was tempted to straddle Artie’s lap, but it would be nice to watch the movie for a moment before doing anything else. After all, intimacy did not have to mean sex.

“If you put on a horror movie, I swear this night will end with you sleeping out here,” Quinn said as Artie picked up the remote.

Artie chuckled. “Like you’d sleep in that room alone after a _Saw_ movie.”

Quinn growled. Artie had a point. She could take classic slasher horror movies, but she could not deal with the more modern gore movies. It would be her luck to fall for someone who was all about horror movies of all types.

“Love, you better not put on a damn horror movie. Yeah, you’d spoon me, but there’d be nothing beyond that,” Quinn said. 

“You know I’m content to cuddle.” Artie pulled Quinn’s legs to her chest and massaged her calf.

Quinn moaned a little and wiggled in her seat. “If this is a horror movie, you’ll get all kinds of cuddling.”

Artie laughed. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Princess. I’d ask your permission before putting on a horror movie for a date night like this. It’s been too long since we’ve spent time together. I wouldn’t ruin it by putting on a movie you hate, even if it keeps you pressed close to me.” 

Quinn smiled. Artie was not nearly as nice as she pretended to be and was not below putting on a scary movie without warning Quinn at all. Now was not one of those times, though. A sweet romantic comedy played on the television and Quinn knew she had to do something or Artie would fall asleep within a half hour.

Quinn gave it a few minutes and then shifted her position, so she was straddling Artie lap. Her dress rode up, well past mid-thigh. Artie’s hands went right to Quinn’s ass while Quinn leaned in for a kiss. Artie wasted no time returning it and one of her hands eased its way to Quinn’s bare thigh. Quinn moaned and her tongue darted out, needing to be in contact with Artie’s. Artie wasted no time granting that wish as well as stroking Quinn’s thigh. Quinn bucked against Artie.

“Bedroom or couch?” Artie asked in a breath.

Quinn grinned as she caressed Artie’s cheeks with both hands. “Oh, let’s be naughty.”

“Couch it is.” Artie snickered and pulled Quinn in for another kiss.

The feel of Artie’s lips never failed to warm Quinn down to the core of her being and she throbbed with desire. Affection from Artie touched whatever it was that made her who she was and caused her to tremble with want. Then, the feel of Artie’s fingertips dancing on each nerve inside of her thigh made her buck again. Quinn’s hands moved to Artie’s broad shoulders as she lost control of her hips.

“You gonna ride me, baby?” Artie groaned.

“You want me to, love?” Quinn asked before starting a fresh kiss. She missed the taste of Artie and wanted to drown in it.

Artie scoffed as soon as the kiss was done. “Do I want you to? Princess, we have got to work on your dirty talk.”

Quinn sucked her teeth. “Says the woman who asks the most obvious question of all time. Fuck, yes, I’m going to ride you if you just slide your fingers home.”

Artie’s brow furrowed. “I feel like we need more practice at this. We’re damn near arguing.”

Quinn knew how to stop that. She took hold of Artie’s hand and shoved it all the way up her dress. Artie groaned as she pressed against the damp cloth of Quinn’s underwear. Next thing Quinn knew, she was being lifted up. She giggled as Artie stood and then flipped her down onto the sofa. Quinn laughed as Artie stared at her briefly, as if considering what to do with her, before reaching for the zipper on her dress.

“It’s best if you’re naked,” Artie said with a nod.

“Don’t you mean we’re naked?” Quinn asked. Like hell she would be the only one naked around here. “I need those muscles against me.”

“Even better!” Artie wasted no time removing Quinn’s dress and then paused to stare again. “Oh, sexy underwear.”

Quinn smirked. “I thought you might like it.”

Artie grinned, wiggled her eyebrows, and ran her hands over the navy blue lace of Quinn’s bra and panties. Quinn whined, wanting more while Artie pulled back and then practically tore her suit off. Artie was not a big believer in sexy underwear for her. She had on a black sports bra and black boxer briefs, which was her usual. She leaned over Quinn, kissing Quinn with all that she was worth as her fingers worked on Quinn’s bra. Quinn yanked off Artie’s bra as well and then went their underwear.

Quinn moaned as lightning bolts of pleasure buzzed through her as Artie’s lips wrapped around her nipple. For a long moment, it felt like Artie’s lips were everywhere, kissing her breasts, her stomach, and her neck. She arched into Artie’s touch, mewing as Artie’s fingers slid right where they both wanted, needed. Artie moaned right along with her. 

“I miss you, how you feel, how you sound,” Artie whispered, peppering Quinn’s throat with wet kisses.

“I miss you, too.” Quinn groaned and clutched Artie’s shoulders, moving her hips to chase Artie’s magical fingers.

Shifting, Artie kissed her way down Quinn’s body. Quinn moved with her, finding her legs thrown over Artie’s shoulders. Then came Artie’s mouth and Quinn screamed at the flash of ecstasy from first touch. Nonsense babble spilled from Quinn’s lips as Artie tasted her in so many ways. Her tongue, her lips, her fingers all doing wonderful things.

“Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god.” Quinn found it harder to breathe as pleasure tightened in her chest. She ran her hands through Artie’s hair and then clutched Artie’s skull as wave after wave of bliss washed over her. “Oh, my god!” Colors flashed before her eyes as her body exploded around Artie. 

“I missed that, too,” Artie commented with a smirk. She kissed Quinn’s thigh.

Quinn sighed and relaxed, feeling boneless on the sofa. “Gimme a minute and I’ll reintroduce you to some other things I’m sure you missed.”

Artie snickered. “I’d like that, but I’d like something else even more.”

Before Quinn could ask a question, Artie lifted her up and carried her bridal style to their bedroom. Quinn giggled and threw her arms around Artie’s next. Hopefully, it would be a long night.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: back to business as usual for both of them.


	7. Happily Ever After

7: Happily Ever After

“Tia, come on, you’ve got this,” Artie said, rubbing her hands together. She was with her sister on the sofa in her apartment, staring down at Tia’s physics homework. They both had their glasses on, a matching set. They would be scolded if Quinn saw them studying anything without their glasses and also this was serious. Serious reading required glasses.

“This math makes no sense!” Tia huffed, slapping the papers in front of them. There were lines under her eyes and a slump in her shoulders.

Artie popped Tia on her jean-covered hip with her knuckles. “Come on, come on, come on. Stop letting your temper get the best of you.” Tia’s temper was something Artie was still concerned over, even though it only seemed to come up when Tia was with her, their sisters, or on the soccer field.

“Hey! You keep that up and I’m gonna tell Quinn you’re beating me,” Tia said with a playful sneer.

Artie rolled her eyes. “When I body slam you again for telling Quinn stuff like that, then we’ll talk about a beating.”

Tia shook her head. “I’m gonna tell my coach you threaten me like this, too.”

Artie laughed. “And I’m going to tell your physics teacher that you’re totally going to fail the AP exam because you’re trying to get me in trouble.”

Tia yelped and her eyes went wide. “You think I’m going to fail?” She covered her mouth, as if saying it meant it was a certainty now.

Artie’s heart melted as the little whimper that escaped her sister. She wrapped an arm around Tia and pulled her close. “No, I don’t think you’re going to fail if you actually take it seriously. Come on, let’s look at the math.”

Tia’s shoulders sagged even more. “I don’t even get why I decided to do AP physics. I’m doing so much better with AP bio. That works more with what I want to do with my life.”

“Well, if sports medicine doesn’t work out, then you have your fall back job of astrophysicist.” With a grin, Artie playfully shoved Tia. Tia was very likely to go into any field with biology, but she took AP physics because she was good at science. To be fair, they all were apt at science, different fields, but still. Physics was more Artie’s speed than Tia’s.

Tia chuckled. “You’ve got high hopes for me.”

Artie had high hopes for everyone. “You’re the one who likes science. You could’ve been boring and gone into engineering like Venus.”

Tia groaned and stuck out her tongue. Artie laughed and rubbed the top of Tia’s hair. Tia shoved her away and sighed, turning her attention back to the papers in front of them. She tapped her pencil to her chin and then scribbled on the paper. Once she was done, she pulled back and Artie examined the work.

“Look at this. See, you blow through this stuff when you stop whining about things,” Artie said with a grin.

“Blah, blah, blah.” Tia made a mocking hand gesture. 

“You’re such a brat.” Artie grabbed her into a hug. “But, you’re my brat.”

Tia hugged her in return. They made their way through several problems before Quinn emerged from the bedroom, where she had been writing. Tia shot up and followed Quinn into the kitchen, telling her all about her harrowing ordeal with physics, leaving Artie to her own devices. For a moment, Artie considered cleaning up after Tia, but it was Tia’s homework, so she should get it. The whole pantheon was still learning about picking up after themselves, Artie included. Quinn would get on Tia’s case about the mess and wield better results with less whining than Artie would.

Instead of cleaning, Artie walked to the entrance of the kitchen and watched. Quinn showed Tia how to cook often. Tia was a whiz at cooking, just like the twins. Artie wondered if it was something genetic. She could cook, too, but most of the time, no one wanted to eat what she made. They often called it “health crap.”

Artie would have watched them for the whole meal, but her phone went off. She rushed back to the couch to retrieve the phone, knowing the ring. _What the hell do the twins want?_ She picked up to find out.

“Art, listen to this insanity my lesser self swears counts as a term paper,” Aphrodite said.

“Lesser self? I’m the older one!” Venus huffed.

“What the hell does that have to do with anything? You could be a million years older than I am and that won’t make this paper make any more sense,” Aphrodite countered.

“I bet if you hand it in, it’ll be fine.”

“I’m not handing this mess in! Artie, listen,” Aphrodite said.

“I’m not letting you read it. You’ll put that stupid accent on!”

Artie sighed and listened to the pair. Sighing, she flopped down onto the couch, waiting for the two to remember she was on the phone. By the time they did, she could hear Quinn and Tia packing up dinner. They would leave for the house soon.

“Guys, I need you to get to the point right now,” Artie said.

They both groaned, but at least Aphrodite started reading the paper, complete with stupid accent, like she was upper class British, but very obviously faking it. Venus did not seem to appreciate the accent and started reading over Aphrodite. It did not help. Artie sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“This is quite possibly the laziest piece of writing from either of you,” Artie admitted to stop the arguing. Not to mention, it was the truth.

“Told you!” Aphrodite crowed.

“I’ve been busy! The paper is passable,” Venus argued.

“You don’t write something passable for yourself. You write something passable for a client you hate that you never want to come back,” Artie replied. “Or an idiot with a C average who will appreciate passable.”

“Thank you!” There was a sound like Aphrodite slapped her thigh or something. “I promised to cover the paid papers and Venus said she’d write our class stuff and this is what she did!”

“Do you know how many damn papers we have?” Venus huffed.

“Yeah, but I bet none of yours sound like this!”

Artie sighed. “Okay, both of you, I know you’re stressed and I know it’s a lot, but screaming at each other isn’t going to help. You both need to take a break, possibly from each other and from work. So, I want you both to go find separate friends and go do separate fun things and then come back together in a couple of hours and see how things go from there. Also, make sure you eat.”

“I guess we have been around each other a lot,” Aphrodite said.

Venus sighed. “We haven’t been doing much fun stuff either.”

“Yeah, go see a movie or go to a batting cage or something. Softball going good, right?” Artie asked just as Quinn and Tia emerged from the kitchen. Tia had a bag in hand, full of dinner undoubtedly.

“Everything is going good, except for… you know,” Venus said.

“Good. Now, go do what I said. Call me back later,” Artie replied. Farewells were said and Artie turned her attention to Quinn and Tia. “Ready to go?”

Quinn and Tia smiled at her and nodded. They were off to the house now. They had dinner with Anna, Juno, and Diana. She and Quinn put the younger pair to bed after dinner while Anna went off to work.

“I’m too big to get tucked in!” Juno huffed. Yes, thirteen was probably too old for tucking in, but that never stopped Quinn. Juno never really seemed to put up much of a fight either.

“But, not too big to get popped if you keep screaming through the house!” Artie called from the other room, which was the twins’ room when they were home. She was taking care of Diana, who was not too old for anything from what Artie could tell, except desiring her own room. She liked being tucked in and there would be a bedtime story right after.

“I learned it from you!”

Artie groaned. She was certain all of her sisters learned their wiseassery from her, too. Sighing, she turned her attention back to the kid who had yet to develop a smart ass attitude.

“Now, what story would you like us to read, Piglet?” Artie asked.

Diana grinned with a twinkle in her eyes. “The big book of fairytales. The spooky ones.”

Artie chuckled. “Okay, but if you have scary dreams it’s your own fault.”

“I know. I’m trying to get ready for us to read Edgar Allen Poe stories together. I hear those are really creepy. I figure if I can take the old fairytales, then I can do Poe.”

Artie laughed a little more. Diana was also aware that if she had any nightmares, she could struggle her way in between Artie and Quinn on the couch. So, Artie grabbed the copy of Grimm Fairy Tales, which the twins bought Diana a couple of years ago, and got to reading. They traded off paragraphs until the story was over.

-8-8-8-8- 

Artie’s grandparents were unavailable for the night, so Quinn made up the couch for their usual night in when they were the only adults around. They had tried sleeping on the floor once, but it did not agree with Artie’s back. It probably did not help that Quinn used her as a mattress at the time. Artie was in the other room, talking to the twins on the phone again. From what she could tell, they were stressed out over their courses. Artie sounded calm, so Quinn assumed things were going well. So, once the sofa was made up, she waited for her spouse to be done. It seemed like forever before Artie came and laid down on the couch, which then allowed Quinn to lie down as well. She was halfway on the sofa and halfway on Artie with Artie’s arm around her to make sure she did not fall.

“I’m so exhausted,” Artie sighed. 

“Of course you are. You worked a full day then spent every second you got home helping Tia with physics problems, came here to make sure everyone ate, got your mom out the door for work on time, made sure the Bug, who somehow turned into the dirty kid, took a shower, talked the twins down from their meltdown from what I could tell, and I’m sure ruined the Piglet’s psyche with horror stories for bedtime stories,” Quinn said. It was quite the typical night.

“They’re not horror stories. It’s a book of fairy tales.” 

“Same difference.”

Artie snickered. “How did the Bug end up the dirty kid?” 

Quinn shook her head. Juno was not exactly dirty. She was just a blossoming teenager and had yet to grasp the changes her body was going through. Quinn remembered when Juno first got her period a year ago. She had cried all morning, thinking she was dying. Anna had been the only one who could comfort her then.

“How were the twins?” Quinn asked. 

“They made up after going out like I said. I think sometimes they need to remember they’re individuals and they don’t need to spend every waking moment together.”

“Which is funny because they tried their whole lives to be individuals.” 

“I know, but they like being each other’s best friend, too. The new environment certainly helped push them closer because they have to depend on each other more now than ever. But, they cooled down some after having some alone time. Once that happened, I had to talk Venus through improving her papers. I mean, I know things are tough, but she can’t slack on things their grade depend on. Then, I had to get them to understand they didn’t have to burn themselves out. They’re working too hard.”

“Well, you taught them well.” Quinn was always impressed by the job Artie had done parenting her sisters. 

“Not well enough if they’re about to drop dead from work that’s not even theirs. They have to take better care.”

“I’m sure you told them.” 

Artie nodded. “I did, but I need to see if it went in one ear and out the other, as my advice has a bad habit of doing with those two.”

“They just want to make you proud.” 

“They do.” Artie sighed and wrapped her arms around Quinn, pulling her close. “They all do.”

“You’ve done well with all of them.” 

“I still have ten years of this to go. I hope the Piglet doesn’t need to be reminded of deodorant as much as the Bug.”

Quinn pinched Artie’s side. “Leave her be. She’s adjusting. Did you go on using deodorant right away when you went through puberty?” 

Artie snorted. “I was too busy trying to grow a mustache.”

Quinn looked at her spouse with an arched eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?” She probably was not kidding. 

“Nope. Totally tried to grow me a cool mustache.” Artie rubbed the area between her nose and upper lip. “I would then offer girls free mustache rides.”

Quinn could not help the frown on her face. “You were a disgusting, perverted little boy.”

Artie grinned. “I deny nothing.” 

Quinn chuckled. “Of course you don’t. Did it ever occur to you that the Bug might actually have a fear of growing up?” Juno was slow or outright resistant to some things that came with getting older, which was why Diana had been the one to move out of their shared room rather than Juno.

Artie shifted a bit and frowned. “Have you spoken to her about it?” 

“No, but some of the things she says points to that. She misses you being able to pick her up. I’ve told her you probably could, considering the fact that you bench like twice her, right?”

Artie sighed. “Aw. I’ll talk to her if it comes up.”

“I read her a bedtime story tonight when she heard you and the Piglet reading. She asked me to do it in a really quiet voice, like she didn’t want anyone else to hear.” 

“Oh, geez.”

“If it makes you feel any better, it was _Jurassic Park_ and she read to me mostly.”

“I guess that is better, but she needs to understand growing up is just a part of life and it’s something we can’t avoid. It doesn’t mean we love her any different or giving up things she likes. It just means showering daily and sweating a lot more than anyone likes.” 

“Excuse me, but I thoroughly enjoy your sweat.” It was probably a fetish at this point.

“Thank goodness for that since I have enough for both of us. Anyway, I’ll talk to her about it.” 

Quinn nodded. Artie was good at talking to her sisters, especially in moments of crisis. She assumed Artie learned it from her grandfather, if the stories of her childhood were anything to go by. _Will she still have the energy for this when we have kids?_ Quinn was not sure where the thought came from, but it was horrifying to think. It helped her understand why Artie did not want a tribe of children, though.

“You okay?” Artie asked. 

“Yes, of course. Why?” Quinn countered.

“You tensed. Everything went okay with the Bug beyond that other stuff?”

“Oh, yes. Everything was fine. I just…” Quinn sighed. She and Artie could talk about anything. “Do you think you’ll still have anything left in the tank when we have kids? I mean, you’ve been raising kids for almost twenty years already.” 

“I hope when we have a tribe, it’ll be different.”

“Oh, you’re agreeing to a tribe now.” 

Artie scoffed loudly. “Of course not. I agreed to two at the most and we’ll probably have to seriously negotiate for that.” Artie expressed she would really only like one child, but she would go for two because Quinn wanted several.

“I’m sure I can talk you into more.” Quinn pressed her pelvis against Artie’s thigh. 

Artie grunted. “We’ll see. But, either way, I think it will be different. These guys are my sisters and most of the time that’s how I see them. I mean, yeah, they look at me as their dad or whatever sometimes, but I never look at them and think they’re my kids. They don’t have a dual role. They’re always my sisters, just younger than me. When we have kids, those will be our kids. So, it’ll be different.”

“Ah. And it’s just that simple to you.”

“Well, you’ve been doing this for six years now. That’s almost half of the Bug’s life and most of the Piglet’s life. Do you look at them as your kids? Do you think they’ll stop you having kids of your own?”

Quinn did not even have to think about that one. “No, to both questions. I suppose I just thought it was different for you. I mean, you recognize that you once had a dual role with your mother and you saw her in a dual role, so I assumed the same for your sisters.”

Artie shook her head. “No, they’re always just the little ones. Maybe that’s it. I just look at them as little people who need me there and I assume every younger sibling is like that. In my head, I’m pretty good with keeping everyone where they should be. My mom… it was just too hard because of the emotional crap, protecting everyone from jerks, and having to make money. The things I do for my sisters could always still be seen as sisterly things. They just happen to look at it differently. The things with my mom, it was always too much to just be the put-upon child.” 

Quinn was about to ask when Artie figured out her relationship with her mother was something different, but they were interrupted. Diana appeared, clutching her Piglet plushie to her chest, and she stared at them. They had to shift quite a bit, but Diana managed to work her way onto them to share the couch.

“The birds were pecking my eyes out…” Diana mumbled before closing her eyes.

“I told you to stop reading those real fairy tales to her before bed,” Quinn said. There was no way they would be able to stay on the couch all night like this. 

“She’s usually better with them. I don’t know what it is with Cinderella that she can’t take, though. I think she likes the stepsisters or something,” Artie replied. 

“Either way, can you not read that one to her anymore?”

Artie shrugged slightly. “She asks for it.” 

“You don’t have to do everything she asks.”

“Says the woman—”

Quinn jumped in, putting her hand over Artie’s mouth as best she could. “There are two ways for you to finish that sentence and neither of them are good. Quit while you’re ahead and go to sleep.” Artie wisely nodded and listened. Quinn drifted off with the thoughts of children in her head.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the couple has car woes.


	8. If It’s Broken

8: If It’s Broken 

Artie liked to pride herself on the fact that she was rather handy. If things broke down in the apartment, chances were she could fix them. If the car had a flat tire, she could change it without a problem. But, when the car began making a noise and the check engine light came on, things got complicated. Now, they were out of her wheelhouse. She wanted to get it checked out as soon as possible. She would never chance the car breaking down on Quinn.

Which was why Artie skipped work and drove the car to a mechanic right after she dropped Quinn off at her office. The car was old. It was originally Quinn’s and had become the second family car when Quinn joined the family. It was used when Quinn got it for her high school graduation and had managed seven long years with them together. Artie had heard it rattle and rumble from time to time, but something in her heart told her it was a little more serious than that.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Artie asked, after waiting on news about the car for over an hour. It was not the most glamorous waiting area, but not the worse either. A row of chairs she did not bother to sit in and a few magazines she did not bother to read on a table with a television on the wall showing some game show she could not hear.

“I don’t think you want to know,” the mechanic, a guy she went to high school with, replied. He was buff, but always seemed to puff himself up around her. She was not sure why. Her muscles were more defined, even if he was bigger.

Artie took a deep breath. “Come on, Nash. Give it to me straight.”

He cracked his knuckles and shook his head. “This car is done. I think you got a year more out of it than you should’ve.”

“When you say done?” Artie tapped her chin. She hoped he meant they could still drive it until the wheels fell off of the damn thing.

“I think that once this thing finally stops, it ain’t going nowhere ever again. I can maybe help you get it home, but other than that, I don’t think you’ll get very far on it. You need to get a new car. One that hasn’t taken two trips to the moon and back.”

Artie frowned. “We don’t have the money for that.” They had savings for various things, but a new car was not one of those things.

Nash scoffed. “Bro, I saw you on TV. You should’ve got a new car right after that. Maybe even right after your book became a best seller.”

Artie shook her head, but decided against informing him that she had a lot of other things to invest in rather than a new car. Yes, she had been on TV and, yes, there was money coming in from her book. But, the twins were in college and Juno and Diana were still in private school. Never mind everyday bills. She was stretched thin as it was. Hell, Quinn was stretched thin because of her and her family. _Fuck_.

“Look, I can get you back on the road, but not for long, no matter what I do. If you want to keep throwing cash at this piece of shit, it’ll cost you more in the long run,” Nash pointed out.

Artie sighed and shook her head. They did not have money to waste, but would they be able to afford a new car? That was a conversation to have with Quinn.

“You can get me home, right?” Artie asked.

“Like I said, I can get you back on the road. For how long? It’s hard to say. This car is really run down. Look, Art, you’re cool and you always throw your business my way, I know a guy who sells good used cars. Cars that have many years left in them. You get back to me with a price and I’ll talk to him for you,” Nash replied.

Artie nodded. She was not sure how much she could trust Nash. Yes, he was a great mechanic and she often brought the car to him as well as pointed friends in his direction for their car troubles, but that did not mean they were friends. They had not talked much in high school and they only ran into each other by chance a couple of years ago. He lucked out to get her business because a few days after they met, the car had trouble and she still had his card. Their first few interactions, he seemed a little standoffish with her, but things were fine for the most part now.

She would shop around about cars and then get back to him, if necessary. For now, she needed the car going, so she could get home and have a discussion with Quinn. Well, if she could make it to pick Quinn up, if the car was as bad as Nash said it was.

-8-8-8-8-

“So, the car really is on its last leg, huh?” Quinn asked as she and Artie settled on the sofa. They had come in and Artie gave her the run down on the car. Honestly, Quinn was not surprised about the state of the vehicle. She was a bit surprised they pulled as much time out of the car as they did. “That car has served us well, but we’ve been wearing on it the past four years.”

Artie sighed and nodded, putting her arm around Quinn. “Yeah, sorry about that.”

“Don’t say sorry! It’s awesome that we were able to start taking the girls places and going to and fro without worrying about losing someone on the train.” Quinn had never been more fearful in her life than the time she thought they left Juno on the train once several years ago. She cried while Juno popped back up and attached herself to Artie like nothing was wrong. Artie had pretended to be fine, but later revealed to Quinn she had been scared, too, which helped valid Quinn’s reaction.

“It’s a good thing the twins were old enough and used to the trains when we lost them.”

“I didn’t even know you could lose people on the train until you guys.” The memory of losing the twins still haunted her and they were teenagers at the time. She had also cried then while Artie assured her the twins would meet them at home. The twins had done just that.

Artie arched an eyebrow. “How often did you take the train before us?”

Quinn had to concede that one. She was not in the mood to start taking the train again either. “Okay, so we need a new car.”

“I could always take the car to someone else for a second opinion.”

“You could, but Nash has been reliable with the car. He’s always treated us fairly and told us what’s up with the car, be it good or bad. Why would he lie to us now?”

“I guess you’re right. Can we afford a new car?”

It was Quinn’s turn to sigh and she grabbed her laptop. She opened up a spreadsheet where they kept their budget. Artie moved in close, staring at the screen and pressing Quinn close to her side. Quinn sighed again while Artie rubbed her eyes.

“I feel like we should have factored a car into ‘future needs.’” Quinn rubbed her forehead.

“Even if we take out our little mini-vacation, we’re screwed,” Artie said. Every year, they tried to take a little trip together. Usually, back to the bed and breakfast where Artie proposed, but a couple of times that had not worked out. Still, they acknowledged they should make time for each other, especially in the chaos of their lives that was centered around so many other people. Vacations were a good way to focus on each other for a few days, but it looked like they would miss out on that.

“We’re not screwed, baby. Come on. You’re being rather pessimistic,” Quinn said, patting Artie’s knee. She was not used to that from her spouse. Artie typically tried to find the angles to make things work.

Artie threw her head back and covered her face with both hands. “I’m being realistic.”

“No, you’re not. Now, come on, work your magic.” One of the things that fascinated Quinn with her spouse was Artie’s ability to find ways to make their money work.

Artie lifted a hand to eye Quinn. “I have magic?”

This was serious. Artie had not used that to make a dirty joke. “You have magic on quite a few things, but right now, I need your fiscal magic. You always work out where we can take money from for a time to pay off things. Come on, work your magic,” Quinn said, rubbing Artie’s knee a little harder this time. She meant it, too. Artie always found money somewhere when Quinn wanted to just curl up in a ball and stop being an adult for a few days.

Artie sighed and leaned forward, studying the spreadsheet. She rubbed the center of her forehead with two fingers. Quinn rested her head against Artie’s shoulder and watched her mind work.

“We’re fucked,” Artie declared.

“Baby!” Quinn pulled away and gave Artie a playful shove. “Come on, be serious. We need to get a new car. Money has to come from somewhere. We’ve got our emergency fund and this is definitely an emergency. We’ve got royalties comes in from the book. We can make this work.”

Artie’s nostrils flared. “I make peanuts. We can’t just buy a new car.”

Quinn’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry?” _Oh, no. This isn’t about buying a car. We’re walking into an “Artie’s masculinity is being threatened” moment_. They had moments like this throughout the marriage and Quinn learned to roll with it until her spouse calmed down enough to be reasoned with.

“Compared to you, I make peanuts. How am I supposed to take care of you? We can’t afford anything thanks to me,” Artie growled and turned away.

“Baby.” Quinn threw herself on Artie’s shoulders and kissed her neck. “You’ll get there. You know that and you have always provided for all of us.” No one worked harder to make sure everyone had what they needed, be it material or otherwise than Artie.

Artie scoffed, turning away for a second. “If you weren’t here, I’d still be living at home.”

Quinn rolled her eyes. “Well, yes, as you’d have no reason to not be there. Let’s be serious, love. You’re starting out and you always knew being a counselor wasn’t going to net you a whole bunch of money. Hell, I haven’t even managed to get into my actual field. My HR job isn’t that great. We got lucky I ended up with the job writing technical manuals, too.” Of course, writing the technical manuals would pay off a lot more if her company had invented more than three products. They were mostly a shipping company, but to get ahead of the competition, they had come up with a few labor saving devices. “But, we have two incomes, which is better than other people our ages.”

Artie ground her teeth and shook her head. “I should be supporting us.”

“We’re a team, love.” They both needed that reminder from time to time.

“I know, I know, but we’re a team where I’m not pulling my weight.”

“Says the woman literally holding me up right now.” Quinn snickered and massaged Artie’s shoulders. “You know you’re pulling your weight. Making less money than I do doesn’t mean you’re not doing your fair share. You’re doing what you love and you’re making a difference. Once you have more experience, the money will come.”

“We need money now, though,” Artie said.

“We’ll find it. We’ll make it work,” Quinn replied.

With a snort, Artie ran her hand through her hair and then took hold of Quinn’s arm. Quinn was not sure what to expect, but took it as a good sign when Artie suddenly yanked her down, trying to situate her comfortably against her. Quinn had to scramble to help Artie put Quinn right in Artie’s lap.

“I feel like I put so much on you when I’m supposed to take care of you. That’s my primary job,” Artie said, hand on the outside of Quinn’s thigh.

“Which you do well. Emotionally, psychologically, and everything in between is fine for me. You’re even good with the budget when I get all flustered because I’m still getting used to it. So, don’t freak out on me now. Work your magic and save us before the car falls to pieces,” Quinn replied.

Artie rested her forehead against Quinn’s. “I really wish I could take care of you every which way.” 

“So, I’m not supposed to do anything at all? I don’t think I’d like that very much. Now, magic.” Quinn flicked her wrist, motioning to the laptop. She hoped the lighthearted approach would get Artie out of her funk.

Artie sighed and her body slumped. “I’m doing the macho thing again, huh?” 

“Oh, I’m glad you realized that. Yes, you’re doing that thing again. Again, we’re a team. You don’t have to do everything. It’s not 1950. Now, I’ve done the cheerleading here. Are you going to work your magic or what?”

“You keep bringing up my magic and when we’re done with this, I’m going to show you my real magic.”

Quinn snickered, but did not comment. _There’s the comment I was waiting for_. While she would not mind a refresher course in Artie’s other magic, they needed to get their money together for a car and then they had to get going to the house to be with the girls. So, for the moment, she busied herself with wiggling in Artie’s lap.

“You’re such a distraction,” Artie said.

Quinn smiled. “Well, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I just sat here quietly, now would I?”

“So, I think I see how we can manage this without breaking the bank or totally destroying our tiny nest egg. Unfortunately, it means no vacation this year. Fortunately, we won’t touch the money we’re setting aside for a house.”

Quinn nodded. “I figured the vacation was gone the second you mentioned we needed a new car.”

“Yeah, and I’m going to see how much money the twins might be able to contribute to their college experience this year.”

Quinn frowned. “I don’t want to break the twins.”

“If they’re doing the papers right, they’re making a good amount of money. It shouldn’t be breaking them to ask them to throw in a little for tuition just once. We paid damn near the whole thing last year for them and it’s not like it’s a ton of money.”

“This is true.” Still, it bothered Quinn a little to ask the twins to pay anything toward college. Even though her family had disowned her, her parents had paid for her siblings college education and hers until she was kicked out. Then, her grandparents paid her way. It was a great way to start out her adult life without being in debt like a lot of people. Artie had her scholarship. The twins had a scholarship thanks to softball and they had academic grants, but there was still some money to be paid with them living on campus and they needed to eat and things like that.

“It’ll teach them to not mess up their chances to get free money next time,” Artie said.

Quinn laughed. “You’re never going to let them live junior year down, huh?” 

Artie blew out a raspberry. “No! They should know better. That’s what happens when they don’t listen to me or Nana. So, this one is on them now. It’s not like it’s a lot of money.”

It really was not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but still. “You think they’ll be okay with it?”

Artie nodded. “They’re responsible… now anyway. It’ll be fine. We need the car and they need to feel a little adulthood every now and then. It’s like when I made them pay for their uniforms in high school. I just want them to get a taste of bills every now and then.”

Quinn could understand that. She did not think she had great money sense when she got to college. The twins seemed to manage better than she had at their age. 

“And you’re over this whole money thing?” Quinn asked.

“Until the next crisis, anyway.” 

Quinn sighed. “I need you to be serious. I don’t want to have this argument until the day one of us dies.”

Artie shook her head and grinned. “I’m unlearning a lot of stuff, babe. Bear with me.”

Quinn chuckled, knowing that was the truth. It was slow going, though. With luck, eventually, the notion would settle in Artie’s head that they were a team and she did not need to carry every burden alone. Until then, Quinn leaned in, giving Artie a sweet kiss.

“Thanks for working your magic,” Quinn said.

Artie smirked. “Now, how about a dose of my other magic?” 

Quinn chuckled. “While I don’t think we have the time, I’d love for you to prove me wrong.” Artie did not disappoint her.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: car shopping.


	9. Great Negotiation Powers

9: Great Negotiation Powers

Quinn and Artie huddled up in front of Quinn’s laptop, dressed in their pajamas, mostly listening to each other breathe. They clicked through picture after picture of used cars. They wanted to narrow down their choices. 

“I was thinking of a mini-van,” Artie said.

Quinn snorted. “You’re making me a soccer mom already?”

Artie chuckled and flashed her a bright smile. “Uh, I’m almost certain Tia made you a soccer mom, like, five years ago.”

Quinn would have liked to argue that one, but she had nothing. Instead, she turned her attention back to the computer and studied the grid of cars before them. She would prefer an SUV, understanding they would always have cargo.

“What about this one?” Quinn tapped the screen as her stomach dropped a little. She was not sure why that happened and ignored it as best she could.

“That doesn’t look like a lot of space. It’s pretty small, even for a crossover vehicle. We might as well just get a car,” Artie replied.

Quinn sighed and nodded as her stomach sunk ever further. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ She hoped she was not getting sick. “True. Okay, what about one similar to that, though? We can get one with two rows of backseats.” That should be enough space, right? Maybe with fold down seats in case they needed to haul someone’s equipment, like Tia’s soccer things.

Artie arched an eyebrow. “But, you don’t want a mini-van?”

Quinn groaned. A mini-van would be practical. There were at least three other people constantly in their lives and involved in so many things. When the twins came home from school, that made it five. God forbid if someone brought a friend along. A mini-van would hold all of them comfortably, so they would not have to hear anyone whining about someone in their space or complaining about being too old to sit on anyone’s lap.

“I just… Can I enjoy being in my twenties a little?” Quinn felt selfish for saying so, but her stomach suddenly felt better. She knew what she was getting into when she married Artie, but she would like to not feel like a mother in every aspect of her life.

Artie gave her a sad smile and put her arms around Quinn. “I’m sorry.”

Quinn shook her head. “No, don’t be and don’t say that. I know what I was in for with you and I’m happy with your sisters and everything. I just…” She sighed and her stomach twisted, not wanting to upset her spouse. She was not sure how to explain it. Artie did not know anything about being a carefree young adult since she had been an adult since the twins were born.

“No, I get it. I get it. There are days when I feel like I’m forty-five. You shouldn’t have to feel like that, especially when you’re not even twenty-five yet. We’ll look at SUVs.” Artie kissed the side of her head.

Quinn did not feel any better. “I love the pantheon.” She loved them all. She loved her life.

“I know, baby. Don’t feel guilty.” Artie pulled away a little, smiling with her a twinkle in her eyes. “This is me. You’re with me. You can be honest. You don’t want to drive a mom car when you’re not yet a mom. I understand.”

Quinn let out a long breath, her shoulders slumping. “I feel so bad about it.”

“Don’t feel bad about it. Come on, let’s keep on going. I’m sure we can find an SUV you like and something to fit the pantheon.”

Quinn nodded, but still felt like an ass. A mini-van would probably be cheaper, which would be better for them. SUVs appeared on screen, but Quinn could not focus on any of them. Artie pulled her closer, almost in her lap.

“You okay, Princess?” Artie asked.

“Huh? Yeah.” The nickname even weighed on her now. She felt like she was being a princess and she did not mean that in a good way. She was acting spoiled and wasteful without considering the other people this purchase would affect.

“I don’t think so. You haven’t heard a word I said.” Artie sighed. “Quinn, you don’t have to feel guilty about the kind of car you want. You’re going to be driving it. It’s yours, so you should get what you want.”

Quinn’s throat burned. “I don’t want you to think I don’t like the girls.”

Artie snorted. “I’m almost certain you _love_ the girls more than I do.”

Quinn crumbled into Artie, easing a hand under her shirt to feel her strong abs. “I feel selfish for wanting a car that I know is going to cost more than the one you want just because I don’t want to be all mom-like and everything. I mean, is that even a good reason?”

Artie laughed, blowing out a loud breath. “Yes. It’s your life, baby. I want you to be happy and you’re not a mom, so you shouldn’t have to feel like one. If anything, I want you to feel like the cool big sister the girls see you as. An SUV is what a cool big sister would drive. One of those SUVs that doesn’t even have a name, just a bunch of letters.”

Quinn snickered. “I think that would be way out of our price range.”

“Yeah, probably. Okay, we’ll get one of those SUVs with a name.”

Quinn smiled and turned her attention back to the computer. It was easier from that point on. Artie caved on whatever Quinn wanted and Quinn wanted to call her on it, but appreciated the chance to be selfish. _Maybe I really do need this_.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie had learned to haggle at a young age. Her family never had much and she was the man of the house, so she felt responsible for getting them whatever she could. So, the used car salesman’s would not know what hit him when she showed up with Quinn as far as Artie was concerned. She was ready for this, born for this. The first salesman to approach them did not know what to make of them and addressed Artie as “sir,” which was fine by her. He then balked as he took a closer look at her and stammered through his opening sentence rather than admit what he thought was a mistake.

“We’re here to see some SUVs. My friend Nash said this was the place to be,” Artie said.

The guy did not look like he knew Nash. He sort of just smiled at her and then glanced over at Quinn, who was busy looking at a nearby car. Artie decided to move on, in case things went some place she did not want them to.

“Never mind. Do you know where Jorge is?” Artie asked. Nash told her to speak with a guy named Jorge if she decided to go to his friend’s used car lot.

“I can handle it.”

“I’m sure you can, but I need Jorge.” Artie squared her shoulders, warning him that she was not about to back down.

“Well, I’m not even sure if Jorge is here.”

Artie sucked her teeth and took Quinn’s hand. She did not want to deal with any greasy salesman. Nash told her Jorge was on the up and up. That was good enough for her, especially since they knew what they wanted and they knew the price they wanted to pay. So, she pressed on through the lot, searching for Jorge.

“What if Jorge really isn’t here?” Quinn asked.

“Then we just work with someone else who isn’t trying to dig in our pockets while we’re standing right here or we come back next time we have a spare moment if that person can’t do the price we want,” Artie answered.

“Have you gone car shopping before?” Quinn inquired.

“Yup. I went with my granddad when my mom needed a new car. I went with Vega and her dad. I’ve gone with Tega and people in her family. I’ve seen this done enough to feel like I can handle it.”

Quinn smiled. “Thus reaffirming your alpha male status.”

Artie cut her eyes. “You make fun now, but after we get the perfect SUV, I’ll be all high on my alpha male status and make you scream my name.”

Quinn’s eyes went wide and a blush rushed up her whole face. “Not here, please.”

Artie smiled and focused on finding a salesman. It took a couple of minutes, but they found Jorge. There was no need for a knockdown, drag out fight, as Jorge was pretty fair. Nash had spoken to him already, so he was willing to give Artie and Quinn a good price, better than what they saw online and better than the other dealers Artie had contacted. Artie argued him down a little, but not by much. It was a little disappointing.

“Okay, so I feel like I didn’t get to assert dominance,” Artie said as they drove the car off the lot.

Quinn snickered. “You’re driving. Isn’t that alpha male enough?”

“Hardly.”

Quinn smirked. “Then, how about you drive this to a secluded area and I let you assert dominance?”

“It’s not really dominance if you’re letting me do it,” Artie pointed out, but she would have to be crazy to pass up the opportunity of christening the car. If it had enough room to hold seven, then it should be able to handle them fooling around in the backseat. 

“So, you want to just go home, then?”

Artie scoffed. “Come on, we both know I deserve a little reward for getting us the best possible price.” 

“I’m almost certain Nash is the one who got us the best price, but okay.”

“Wow. You’re just going to take everything away from me, huh?” 

“Never that, my love. Now, can you take us some place secluded, so we can get back to this idea of you asserting your dominance? I can’t have you go around being less than the alpha male you are,” Quinn said with a grin.

Artie was tempted to say something, but decided against talking herself out of car sex. Of course, she felt like she should clean the interior before doing anything with Quinn. Yeah, the dealership took care of that, but Artie felt like she could never be too careful. In the end, she cleaned the car, beforehand. 

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: car sex, as promised.


	10. New Car Smell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: pretty much a smut chapter.

10: New Car Smell 

The windows were fogged up, making it impossible to see inside the new car, which Quinn thought was good. She growled as she tried to get into a comfortable position in the backseat. Well, she was not uncomfortable per se. She needed better leverage as she moved up and down on Artie.

“Fuck,” Artie hissed, hand palming Quinn’s slick breast.

“I need…” Quinn sucked her teeth as a teasing jolt flowed through her. She gripped the backseat headrest, which seemed further away than it should, trying to get the position right. _How is this harder in a bigger car than the old one?_

Artie breathed out and wiggled, trying to move her hips, needing friction. “What? Tell me what?”

“Not enough space…” Quinn whined, wanting more of the delight sizzling her nerve-endings as Artie moved.

Artie panted and looked around, eyes wide and racing. “Oh, shit. My fault.” She moved back and that definitely helped.

Quinn shook her head and glowered at her spouse. How the hell had Artie ended up on the edge of the seat? “Damn it, Artie. I’m trying to keep a promise to you and you’re the one ruining it.”

Artie laughed. “I’m ruining it? I’m getting just the right pressure I need.”

Quinn frowned, face tense. Every passing second made her climax feel further away. “I’m about to just get off of you.”

Now, Artie frowned back. “What? You can’t just get off me. You promised me this. I cleaned the car for you and I also sat on the seat just in case I didn’t do as great a job as I thought I did. You can’t just stop.”

“Oh, yes, I can.”

Artie’s face fell into a pout, complete with a quivering lip. “But, I even stopped at the apartment for you.” It was how they ended up with her favorite toy. “You can’t do this to me!” The whine was let loose in such a childish tone. 

Quinn shook her head, but could not beat back a smile. “You’re such a baby. You have some work ahead of you, though.” She pushed herself up to kiss Artie before Artie could say anything in response.

Artie moaned into Quinn’s mouth and her hands clutched Quinn’s hips, begging her to move. Quinn smiled even more against Artie’s lips. Artie wanted her and it made her blood tingle. She could not help rocking her hips, now finding better leverage to take in all of Artie’s strap on and find the best angle to give Artie what she needed. Artie yelped when Quinn came down on her with the right force. Quinn threw her head back and kept moving.

“Fuck, yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Artie let out a loud breath, hands clutching Quinn tighter now.

Quinn groaned. “Hold me, just like that, babe.”

Artie sort of grunted and tried to meet Quinn’s hips with a thrust of her own while holding on for dear life. Pleasure jolted through Quinn and she held onto Artie’s shoulders, digging her blunt nails into Artie’s back. Leaning back, Quinn chased more pleasure, wanting, needing Artie to make her body sing. The angle was delicious and Quinn could not help increasing speed. Quinn moaned louder.

“Fuck, you sound sexy.” Artie’s hand slid up to Quinn’s shoulders, pulling her closer. Their breasts mashed together, sweat mingling, and Artie leaned down for a kiss. It was perfect.

Quinn melted into Artie and held her tighter as they moved together. Quinn bucked harder and faster as she could feel her climax approaching. She chased it, riding Artie with purpose. Artie assisted, reaching between their bodies. Artie stroked Quinn’s clit and Quinn jumped at the first touch, passion crashing against her like waves against rocks. She broke the kiss and panted while staring Artie right in the eye as jolts of bliss blended together into a crest of pure joy. Quinn cried out as it felt like a tsunami of pleasure splashed through her.

For a few seconds, the world faded away and all Quinn could do was feel amazing, like she was floating through heaven. She dropped her head to Artie’s shoulder and moved her hips, dragging out her orgasm with small shots of pleasure. Artie caressed her back and then a hand settled just under the curve of her breast, stroking her skin enough to put her to sleep.

“This was a great idea,” Quinn whispered, still moving, even though she was wiped out from that climax.

“I cannot dispute that.” Artie leaned in and gave Quinn several small kisses. Her hands settled on Quinn’s thighs, halting her movement for the moment. “How the hell did we find this spot again?”

Quinn scoffed, eyes turned to the fogged up windows. “I’m pretty sure you found this spot.” They were parked in a densely wooded area. It was part of a large park. Quinn suspected it was a teenager make out spot, but ever since they started to come here, she had never seen anyone else. Teenagers were missing out.

Artie looked around, a bead of sweat running down her cheek. “I did? I’m awesome for that.”

“And not at all arrogant about it.” Quinn tried to manage a smile, but she could feel the laziness in her face. She wanted to fall asleep against Artie right now and the slow motion against her skin thanks to Artie’s fingers was not helping. “How did I let you turn me into a girl who has car sex as often as we do?”

Something like this would never had occurred to her until Artie. She never imagined something like this for a married couple either. Sex in a car was a teenage thing, yet here they were again.

Artie pushed some of Quinn’s hair from her damp forehead. “Did you miss the part where I said I was awesome?”

Quinn shook her head. “Did you even…?” She had been so wrapped up in her climax that she had failed to notice any telltale signs that her spouse had finished as well.

“I did. You know what just being able to watch you ride me does to me. It doesn’t take much to get me over the finish line,” Artie replied.

Quinn could not help feeling flattered by that. After all of these years, Artie still found her attractive and could get off watching her do… well, not simple things, but she did not have to do anything outside of her comfort zone to get Artie’s attention. She gave Artie a sweet kiss on the lips.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” Artie asked with a dopey, tired smile on her face.

“Just you still finding me attractive six years into this thing,” Quinn answered.

“I’ll find you just as attractive sixty years into this thing. I love you and to me that seems to be the sexiest thing ever. Well, that and you riding the fuck out of me.” Artie wagged her eyebrows.

Shaking her head, Quinn snickered. “I know you find lots of things sexy about me, but it’s funny you like to voice this while we’re having sex. Like you need me to know it’s sexy we’re having sex.”

“Well, first off, it is. There are tons of things about you that’s sexy. Anyway, are you comfortable? You want me to…” Artie wiggled her hips.

Quinn moaned as the strap on moved within her and small waves of bliss flowed through her. She gripped Artie’s shoulders and threw her head back for a moment. She narrowed her eyes on her spouse. “I was fine until you did that. Stop moving.”

“Sorry.” The spark in her russet eyes said otherwise.

“I really want to know how you turned me into the type of woman who has sex in a car. I did this once as a teenager, which I would think is expected. I’m a married woman in my twenties and I’m getting busy in the backseat with my spouse.”

Artie smiled. “You like it. It’s almost public and there’s a risk of getting caught, but we’re all by ourselves. You’re all about naughty things underneath your girl-next-door charm.”

Quinn made a face and gave Artie’s shoulder a light shove. “It’s your fault. You and your damn charm, making me comfortable with exploring my sexuality. You made me like getting my hair pulled, my ass spanked, and sex in cars.”

Artie winked. “That doesn’t even scratch the surface.” She was right. The list was much longer than that. “Again, all you’re doing is proving I am awesome.”

Quinn chuckled a bit, but stopped as Artie moved. The shift caused the toy to wiggle again and Quinn moaned, but not for long. Artie lifted her up until the strap on slid out. Quinn whined in disappointment, feeling empty and at a loss. Artie gave her a quick kiss, as if that would fill the void. It worked. Affection bloomed through her. 

“We should get dressed. I want to move this back home where I can indulge some more of your fetishes,” Artie said.

“Oh, just my fetishes? Like I’m the only one around here with kinks,” Quinn replied with a grin as Artie passed her her t-shirt.

Artie snorted. “Please, I knew I was kinky long before you showed up and we haven’t scratched my surface.”

Quinn scoffed. “Oh, yeah, because that’s the right way to make your wife want to sleep with you. Remind her off all the ass you got before you met.” Artie was notorious for these types of lines. 

Artie choked on air. “I’m going to start shutting up starting now and just get dressed.”

Quinn smirked at Artie and handed Artie her pants. They got dressed with practiced swiftness and more ease than ever experienced in the old car. She climbed over the seat while Artie opened the backdoor and moved to the driver’s seat. They put on their seat belts and were on the move. Quinn checked her phone and sucked her teeth. 

“They’re such jerks,” Quinn muttered.

“Who?”

“Damn Vega and Yvonne. Well, more than likely Vega and she’s being a jerk to you.” Quinn held up the phone, giving Artie a brief look at their friends cuddled up on the beach. They were supposed to be there with Vega and Yvonne, but they needed a new car. 

“Oh, to Hell with her! Is that my phone?”

“Yup.”

“Yeah, so she’s definitely being an ass to me.” Artie shook her head and reached over to take Quinn’s hand. “I’m sorry we couldn’t be there with them.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s not like you personally killed the car,” Quinn said and squeezed the hand wrapped in hers. “Besides, the beach will be there. For now, we’ve got this new car. We just broke it in. It’s all good. It’ll be even better when this new car gets us home and we can continue this.” 

Artie smirked. “You want me to break the speed limit now, too, don’t you?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” This was all good until Artie realized she would have to clean the car again. They could not let the pantheon get into a car that reeked of sex.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: it’s their anniversary and they have no money.


	11. Close to You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: more smut, but feels, too.

11: Close to You

Quinn sighed as she positioned candles on the dining room table. She frowned, not sure if she liked the placement. _I’m not sure I like any of this_. She had already prepared dinner. She was fine with that. It was how they would eat it that plagued her mind. 

“This table just doesn’t seem intimate enough,” Quinn grumbled. It was their anniversary for fuck’s sake! She needed to do something worthwhile. Unfortunately, they did not have the money for her to spoil Artie properly.

The car had set them back, but it was also the end of the school year. They had to do things with the girls. Quinn went shopping with them quite often, too, enjoying to spoil them with some summer clothes. Artie never seemed to mind, always smiling whenever they modeled new gear. This just meant their anniversary this year would be closer to their first ones when money was tight.

“Oh, I know!” Quinn perked up and moved the candles from the dinner table to the coffee table. If things were going to be like their firsts, then maybe she should go all out, back to when they did not even have a table. _We did great things with less_.

It all worked with what she decided to make, baked ziti. It was made in two separate dishes, as Artie preferred hers with vegetables, but they would still have the same meal for the most part. Now, all she needed was for her spouse to come home. It was not a gym day and work should have been done over an hour ago. Well, she had time to check her dress and makeup once again. She lost count of how many times she had done so.

“I’m going to go out of my mind waiting for this woman,” Quinn sighed. She wanted everything to go smoothly, as she always did when they had an anniversary of any kind. She glanced at her phone, sitting on the nightstand, but left it where it sat. “No, I’m not going to text her. She might be out buying flowers or a cake or something.”

Quinn left the room before she gave into the desire to call Artie. She checked the food, finding it to be just as done as it had been before. The bread was also done. There was wine waiting, if only to toast with and juice for after that. All she needed was her spouse.

“Come home, love,” Quinn whispered.

Her prayer was answered as she heard the tumblers in the lock turn. She went to the door as it opened. Artie stepped through, dressed in navy blue suit, holding a bouquet of roses. She offered Quinn a charming grin.

“Happy anniversary, my love,” Artie said.

“You kept me waiting to change, not that I’m complaining,” Quinn said. While Artie dressed well for work, she would never leave out in a suit like the one she had on now.

Artie grinned even more. “It wasn’t just to change. Picking the flowers took forever and I got your favorite cookies.” She tried to hold up a box tucked under her arm.

Quinn giggled and clapped at the thought of cookies. Since their first wedding anniversary, Artie spoiled her with the greatest brownie cookies Quinn had ever had. Artie refused to tell her where the bakery was, so she could only wait for Artie to surprise her with them.

“Come in, come in, come in. We need to get this underway, so I can eat cookies,” Quinn said, pulling Artie into the apartment. They met body to body and lips to lips. Artie managed to wrap her arms around Quinn as they shared a quick, but loving kiss.

“Yeah, because the cookies are important.”

Quinn smiled. “I’m glad we agree.”

Artie laughed as Quinn practically skipped away. Quinn made them plates while Artie arranged the flowers on the coffee table. Artie made sure the flowers were not close to the candles. Quinn put the plates down, setting them next to waiting wine glasses.

“Take a seat, baby. I’ve got this,” Quinn said, waving Artie down.

For once, Artie did what she asked, no arguing or teasing. Quinn got the bread from off of the kitchen counter and placed it on the coffee table. Once everything was set up, she moved to cuddle in close to Artie. Artie wasted no time putting an arm around Quinn.

“This is different, but I like it. It’s more intimate,” Artie said.

Quinn nodded. “It is more intimate, but not so different.” She put some food on her fork and held it to Artie’s mouth before she could say anything. Artie smiled as she ate the cheesy ziti from the fork, making a show of running her tongue along the silverware. Quinn almost rolled her eyes, but held it in and smirked.

Artie moaned and put her hand on her stomach. “It’s so good and I’m so hungry.”

Quinn smiled. “I get the feeling you mean for the food right now.”

“Yeah. It’ll give me strength to throw you on the bed in a little while.”

“Promises, promises.” Quinn waved the whole matter off. While she was teasing, she knew all too well that Artie was dead serious. She looked forward to it.

Artie smirked, but then turned her attention to her food. She kept one arm around Quinn as they quietly ate. It was nice just to be together, no running around, no worrying about where they needed to be, and no wondering what girl needed to be where. Quinn leaned in and gave Artie a peck on the cheek. Artie turned so they could share a proper kiss, tasting of sauce and wine.

“I know we usually do gifts after dinner, but I’m about to be done and probably have seconds before you finish…” Artie said.

Quinn could guess where her spouse was going with that, especially since Artie was almost done with her food. “You want to give me my gift now?”

“You know I do.” Artie grinned. “It’s a little unorthodox than the usual stuff.” 

“Artie, if a puppy suddenly appears, we are going to have such a problem.” Over the years, Artie had entertained the idea of a puppy, mostly because of Juno and Diana. Quinn always put her foot down on the matter. They could not afford a dog and they did not have time for a dog.

Artie chuckled. “I promise you, no puppy.” She went inside her jacket pocket and pulled out an open envelope. “Here. Check this out.” She handed the envelope to Quinn and sat back. Her body seemed to vibrate with energy.

Quinn arched an eyebrow as she opened the envelope and pulled out several papers. She looked over the first one and then the second and then flipped to the third. She looked at Artie with wide eyes.

“Is this… Are you… This is what you’re making now?” Quinn could hardly process the numbers she saw before her. She understood why Artie trembled with anticipation now. It took all of her willpower not to fling herself on Artie. She did not want to chance knocking over the coffee table.

Artie shrugged. “I guess I’m starting to do okay for myself.” She gave an awkward laugh. “I’m making an adult paycheck now.”

“Wow, love. Just wow.” Quinn was not sure what else to say. Artie’s hard work and dedication had finally paid off, literally. “This is from your private office and your counseling?”

Artie shook her head. “Just the office.”

“Wow.” Now, it was almost like having three incomes. And, if she could ever publish her book, they would have that money, too. Her heart fluttered. They were moving on up.

“No more living hand to mouth, no more worrying about if we’ll make all our bills, no more worrying about maybe having to borrow money from someone else, and no more worrying over the fact that we just had to buy a car,” Artie said. “I was even thinking we might start looking at houses.”

Quinn’s eyes went wide again and she gasped. They had not talked about houses since they left school three years ago. Quinn had wanted to move into a house immediately and her grandparents were at her side to help, but Artie could not accept the help at the time. Quinn understood. Artie wanted to prove she could take care of Quinn and she had so many other responsibilities.

“I know it’s not a lot right now. Before, it wasn’t so much that I didn’t want your grandparents help, but I was scared I’d never be able to pay them back. I didn’t want to be that person, but you deserve everything you want. Besides, if you hadn’t written that book for me, there’s no way I’d have the client list I have now and there’s no way I’d be making this kind of money,” Artie said.

“A house…” Quinn breathed out the word. It was a dream, but it was more than that. A house always represented a future to her, a future with Artie. A house was permanent, a house was a commitment, a house was roots, a house was forever. She flung herself onto Artie, candles and fire hazard be damned, and kissed Artie before she could even grunt from the impact.

Artie wrapped her arms around Quinn, holding her close as Quinn kissed Artie for all she was worth. Even as she pulled away, Quinn gave Artie several long pecks on the lips. They would be in serious debt for this, but it would be to Quinn’s grandparents and possibly Vega’s father if his offer still held. They would all wait for payment without pressuring Artie and Quinn, who would be able to pay them all back eventually. 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Quinn said, trying to keep control of her breathing. She was not confident she would not hyperventilate. 

“What? You thought I’d have you living in this broken down apartment for the rest of our lives?” Artie asked with a smirk. But, her eyes glistened, unable to hide the truth. 

“Not the rest of our lives, but for a few more years. Thank you so much for this, baby.” This was a dream come true for her.

Artie smiled and placed her hand on Quinn’s cheek. “I haven’t done anything yet. But, I know you want the white picket fence and all of that and I want to give it to you. I want to have it with you. Sure, this isn’t exactly the right way, but I’ll pay everyone back and eventually I will have given it to you.”

“I don’t care about that!” Quinn went in for another kiss. In the back of her mind, she made a note to correct Artie about who would be paying people back. They were in this together.

“Love, you still have food,” Artie pointed out.

“Screw the food! Come on!” Quinn jumped up and grabbed Artie. Time to go to bed and be as close as physically possible before she burst from an overflow of emotion.

Artie did not argue. As soon as they crossed the threshold to their bedroom, Quinn went back to kissing Artie with everything inside of her, pouring affections into her spouse. Artie kissed her back, wonderful lips and gracious tongue, and wasted no time unzipping her dress. Quinn tried to step out of it without breaking the kiss, but she needed help. Artie yanked the dress from her hips and now Quinn was in her underwear. The air made her feverish skin even hotter. Only Artie could cool her down.

“Now, you look your usual handsome and dashing self in this suit, but too many clothes,” Quinn said, reaching for Artie’s buttons.

“I thought you’d enjoy me dressing up a little.” Artie smiled as Quinn pushed her jacket from her shoulders.

Quinn leaned in for another kiss as she pulled Artie’s shirt from her pants. “I do enjoy you dressing up, but I prefer it when those clothes are on the floor.”

Artie chuckled. “Well, who am I to disappoint?”

They kissed again as Quinn stripped Artie, fingers itching to feel her love. The only pause was for Artie to take off her socks and shoes. They fell into bed with Quinn ending up on top of Artie without breaking a new kiss. Artie’s hands worked with practice ease to take off Quinn’s bra. With the bra out of the way, Artie filled her hands with Quinn’s breasts, touching them just as Quinn liked. Quinn pulled back, moaning and grinding against Artie, finally feeling as she was not about to tear out of her skin. She felt settled, grounded.

“Love…” Quinn groaned as Artie pinched her nipples. It was so delicious Quinn had to lick her lips. “I want… I want…” It was hard to think, let alone talk, with Artie’s skillful touch sending lightning down her nerves.

“What? Tell me all your secrets, baby. I’ll give you anything. I want to give you everything,” Artie said, kissing Quinn’s throat and dragging her teeth across Quinn’s neck. The attention made Quinn shiver.

“I want you.” It was the best she could come up with, but it fell short of what she truly felt.

“You got me.”

“No, I want this to be about you.” Quinn sat up, pulling her body from Artie’s wonderful hands. She wanted to treat Artie to show her appreciation of the new chapter in their lives. She wanted to somehow make Artie understand what she felt by making Artie feel. She wanted to anchor Artie to their world and immerse her spouse in her love.

“What do you want me to do?” Artie asked.

“Let me undress you and have my way with you and treat you like the great person you are.”

“I can do this thing you ask, but afterwards…” Artie wiggled her eyebrows. If it was up to her, she would turn Quinn into a pillow princess and Quinn would end up complaining about it, but Artie would not listen.

Quinn snickered. “You’re too much.”

“But, all for you.” Artie squirmed a bit, making a show of settling against the pillows at the head of the bed. Her body on display was the closest thing to a living work of art for Quinn. So many cuts and lines with thick muscles. It was like she was sculpted from marble.

“And it’s all amazing.” Quinn traced her index finger along Artie’s bicep.

Artie grinned. “I could be amazing for you.”

Quinn snorted and leaned down, pressing her body to Artie’s, enjoying all of her body heat. Despite the differences in their skin tones, Quinn felt like it was hard to tell where they each stopped and the other began. Artie purred as she slid her hands down Artie’s sides. There were rare nights when they got to sleep alone in their bed and they did it like this, flesh to flesh and felt a connection as vast as the sky.

“I wish we could do this more often,” Quinn said, snuggling her face into Artie’s neck. She kissed at a vein in her spouse’s neck.

“I know,” Artie replied, hand back to Quinn’s breast. Quinn eased her way up to Artie’s mouth, kissing her throat, her chin, and then her lips.

They slowly kissed, lazy, like they had all day. With each touch of Artie’s lips and tongue, Quinn sighed contently as she peeled off Artie’s sports bra. Once that piece of cloth was out of the way, Quinn kissed her way down Artie’s body, paying special attention to Artie’s collarbones. Her hands eased over Artie’s chest, running up and down Artie’s ribs, and then palming Artie’s small breasts.

“Mine,” Quinn whispered. She loved Artie’s breasts so much. She had never enjoyed breasts like this before or after Artie. She doubted she would ever love breasts in such a way ever again.

“Of course they are,” Artie replied. “I gave them to you, remember?”

Quinn smiled. “That you did.” Most would have considered it a “gag gift” when Artie gave Quinn a contract, signing her tits—Artie’s words, not Quinn’s—over to Quinn on their first wedding anniversary. Quinn knew Artie was very serious about it, though. Artie had no interest in her own breasts, but loved that Quinn enjoyed them very much.

Quinn took a moment to snuggle with her first clue that Artie had been more to her than a fuck-buddy and the first clue that she had definitely not been straight. She adored Artie’s breasts with her lips, showering them with open mouth kisses while gently caressing each other. As she came to the gems atop grand treasures, she lapped at one with her tongue while her thumb paid attention to the other.

Tiny noises escaped Artie, which grew loader and loader as Quinn cared for her. Quinn looked up at Artie while making sure not to release the jewel between her lips. Artie looked right back at her, a smile on her lips, and happiness lighting up her eyes.

“You take…” Artie moaned as she gave a little pull. “You take care of them so well.” 

Quinn gave another light tug. “Well, I love them.”

“I’m happy you do.” Artie threaded her fingers through Quinn’s hair, gently massaging her scalp. 

Quinn chuckled a bit and then went back to work on Artie’s body. While she could have stayed where she was all night, Quinn wanted to give Artie more, so she needed to move, if only to take off Artie’s boxer-briefs. Then, she went back to Artie’s chest, enjoying what was hers and she ran a finger along Artie’s desire. Artie moaned and arched for her.

“You want me, love?” Quinn asked.

“You know I do,” Artie replied. It was not like her hips could lie. “But, I’d like to point out if I asked that question, I’d get in trouble.”

Quinn snorted and silence Artie with a nip to her breast. She kissed her way down Artie’s body as she lazily ran her finger up and down her spouse. Artie whimpered and whined, needing more, wanting more. Quinn gave her love just what she wanted—her mouth. Artie moaned and ran her fingers through Quinn’s hair as Quinn feasted on her just the way she liked it.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Artie chanted with each swipe of Quinn’s tongue.

Quinn kept at it, sucking and licking. Her hands occupied themselves staying with Artie’s breasts. After a little while, one hand had to leave and returned to Artie’s haven. Quinn’s mouth did not stop as she eased a single finger into her spouse. Artie was so warm, loving, gripping her for all she was worth. Artie’s hips lifted, moved, chasing Quinn. Quinn made sure to keep up and then the hand in her hair fisted, clutching her to Artie. Quinn groaned, enjoying whenever Artie pulled her hair. Artie pulsed around her finger and wet her tongue with sweet nectar as she cried to the heavens.

As she felt Artie’s body relax, Quinn climbed her way back up Artie’s body. She kissed Artie’s cheek and Artie wrapped her arms around Quinn, holding her tight as a soft sigh escaped both of them. Quinn placed a hand on Artie’s racing heart. 

“I’m getting good at that, huh?” Quinn smirked.

Artie groaned, hiding her head in the pillow for a second. “Oh, my god! It was years ago. Let it go, woman!” 

Quinn chuckled. “I know, but I like your reaction to it.” She snuggled in closer. “Artie, I love you so much.” She loved this woman who wanted to give her the world.

“I love you, too.” Artie smirked. “And now I have all night to show you. Let’s start with you sitting on my face.”

Quinn laughed, but eagerly moved to do that. She still had a gift to give Artie and there were those brownie cookies to it, but before that she needed to have her fill of Artie.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: they talk houses and family with Vega and Yvonne.


	12. By the Horns

12: By the Horns 

Artie flopped down on the comfortable, black leather sectional with Vega. Vega kicked her feet up on the dark wood coffee table, causing a hollow thud to echo through the living room. As soon as her feet were up, Vega looked around. Artie had to do the same. There was no way Tega did not sense the “bad behavior.”

“She’s in the basement, right?” Vega asked, still peering over her shoulder. It gave her a good look into the kitchen and dining room. Both were empty.

“She has to be. How else do you get away with that?” Artie motioned to Vega’s feet up. Tega had radar for when Vega did something “barbaric” in the house. Well, for when Artie did so as well. It seemed to fail the most when she was in the basement, but even that was rare.

Vega shook her head. “I won’t complain. It’s good to see you. I hate this adult shit that keeps us apart.” She popped a grape in her mouth from the bowl in her hand.

Artie blew out a breath. “Agreed. I never thought we’d see each other less when school was done. School always seemed so busy.” Before entering the real world, they never went more than a few hours of not seeing each other. Now, there were tough times when actual weeks went by. It was unnerving, even though they were able to talk daily, but life even got in the way of that more often than they liked. 

Vega rubbed her chin as she ate another grape. “I don’t think we took into account the location change. Back at school, you were away from the pantheon a lot more, so it was easier for us together alone. Now, we get together and we have at least one minor goddess tagging along.”

Artie snorted. “Hey, none of those goddesses are minor.” Leaning over, she broke off a stem of grapes for herself.

Vega chuckled. “No, they’re not. Hell, two of them are adults now. We’re adults now.” She shook her head.

“Where did the time go?” Artie had felt like an adult most of her life, but stupid teenage things were definitely behind them. She might miss those stupid teenage things from time to time, though.

“I dunno. This whole adult thing is a little scary when I stop and think about it. Oh, hey, have I told you about what Yvonne now keeps bringing up?” Vega asked.

Artie shook her head. “Nah, what’s on her brain now?” She felt like Yvonne handled this adult thing better than the rest of them, like she was comfortable in her own skin. She liked her career, she could move along her stubborn wife, and her credit was amazing.

“Kids.” Vega sunk into her seat, like she had trained it to swallow her whole when she brought up subjects she did not like. She shoved several grapes in her mouth as if that would fix her problems. The grapes were good, but not that good.

Artie flinched and widened her eyes briefly. “Kids? With you?”

Vega wasted no time flinging a pillow at her. “Yes, with me!”

“Keep it up and she’s going to appear to you in front of you for throwing the damn couch pillows,” Artie said with a snicker. She could understand why Tega ready for a family with Vega.

Vega sucked her teeth. “Hey, they’re called throw pillows. I have to assume this is the reason why. Anyway, you know she’s telling Quinn all about this decision, so I’m willing to bet you’ll be getting the talk soon. After all, you know it’s their dream to raise our kids together.”

Artie blew out another breath. She knew eventually Quinn would approach the subject of children, especially since they were now “searching” for a house. They had not really started the search, but they would soon enough. Quinn wanted a family with her, which was good. She wanted a family with Quinn, after all.

“They’ll be good mothers,” Artie said. She looked forward to it.

“No doubt about that, but I’m not sure I’m ready,” Vega replied.

Artie frowned a bit. “Uh… how are you not ready? You have a well paying job you’re great at, beautiful home, and a woman who is going to raise the hell outta those babies. What’s not to be ready about?” Vega was more prepared than most people to have a child. Way more prepared than Artie’s mother or even her own parents.

Vega blew out a long breath. “I dunno. There’s so much to think about. I mean, do I want a kid having to deal with having two moms?”

Artie rolled her eyes. “You are not worrying about that bullshit. You grew up with just your dad.” Vega worried about society more than Artie thought was healthy, but it was never for her. Vega did not care about how society saw her, but if society might view someone she knew in a bad light, it was a state of emergency. She would never be ready to have a family if she worried about society.

Vega looked at her as if she was out of her head, not the other way around. “Yeah, which means I know the dumb shit people ask a kid from a ‘non-traditional’ family. Do you remember how the fuck people would look at me when I said I didn’t have a mom?”

“Yeah, same assholes who looked at me like I was stupid when I said I was a boy,” Artie replied. They had put up with plenty of crap from people throughout their lives and would for the rest of their lives.

Vega motioned to her like that proved her point. “Then, there are the judgmental looks, like I drove my mother away or something before they learn my mom died. You know what the hell I’m talking about. You know every time someone used to give you a look when your grandparents showed up for something instead of your mom. You know the looks you get when people realize your dad is MIA in your life.”

All of that was true, but Artie never let that get to her. “You think I care about that crap? It never bothered me that I didn’t have a father because I had yours, just like you had my mom.” Her mother was there for Vega as much as she was there for Artie, just as Mahmoud was there for Artie like he was for Vega. She never had a chance to miss having a father with him and her granddad around.

Vega gnawed her lip a bit and Artie’s heart broke a little. It was not the same for Vega because her mother was not voluntarily out of her life. Artie threw her arm around Vega.

“You know you didn’t drive your mother away. She would’ve been here through all this if she could have,” Artie said.

“I know. I know. I wish I knew her.”

“Your kids will know you and Tega. They’ll get to know your mom through your dad, just like you did. They’ll be amazing and she’ll be watching them, taking care of them from the other side, just like she does for you. She’s there for you, as best she can be, and she will be for your kids, too. She’s always been there for you, helping you through everything. You made it. We made it.”

Vega sighed and scratched her head. “I know. But, just because we managed doesn’t mean our kids will.”

Artie scoffed and threw her head to the side with so much drama she almost head-butted Vega. “We’re amazing and kids deserve us as parents. We’ll get them through all the mean bullshit.”

Vega chuckled as she pulled away. “Yvonne would be an amazing mom.”

Artie reached over and slapped Vega in the chest with the back of her hand, almost making her drop the grapes. “Hell, yeah, she would, and you’d be great, too. Don’t worry about what other people are going to do. If we worried about that, we’d never do anything in life.”

Vega nodded. “That’s true. Well, if I give into this, you know you have to as well. We definitely have to raise our kids together.”

Artie held her head high. “I’d like that, but before me and Quinn can talk about kids, we have to get this house, which means we have to find one we both agree on and can afford.”

Vega rolled her eyes. “Can afford? You have your income, her income, her grandparents, your grandparents, and my dad. I think altogether you can come up with enough for a house in this city, as long as you’re not trying to live anywhere too exclusive.”

“I can’t go crazy with other people’s money. You know that.” Besides, she needed to live close to her family, especially Vega since they were going to be raising their families together.

“I know. But, if I can’t make excuses, you can’t. You’ll be able to pay everyone back. The office has finally taken off. You’ve got a steady income. Quinn is close to publishing her first of many novels. She’ll probably write more books with you. It’ll be fine,” Vega said.

Artie could not call her a liar on any of that. There were no excuses. She and Quinn needed to get things done.

-8-8-8-8-

“So, I’ve started a fight with Vega,” Yvonne said as she and Quinn settled in the basement. They often retreated down here to fantasize on what to do with the space. It was mostly bare, except for the small laundry room and a pool table with a polished hardwood floor.

“What did you do now?” Quinn asked as they unfolded a couple of lawn chairs and sat by the pool table.

Sometimes, Yvonne purposely started fights to get Vega to start considering something Yvonne wanted. Yvonne knew it was not the healthiest way to have a conversation, but there were times it was the only way to have a conversation with Vega. Quinn admired how well Yvonne knew her wife and knew when to push things, but never push too far. Besides, Yvonne would make it up to Vega for any waves she caused.

“I told Vega I wanted to turn this space into a playroom.” Yvonne motioned around the basement.

Quinn nodded. “So, is the fight about having kids or about Vega actually wanting this space for something else?”

“Both. She says she’s not ready for kids. I’m sure she’s upstairs whining to Art.”

Quinn snickered. “Probably. Are you counting on Artie to talk her into both?”

“Artie will take care of this crazy idea she has that our child would have to put up with a bunch of stupidity. I mean, I’m sure that’s true, but that’s also life. Nothing I said got through to her, so now it’s Artie’s turn. Sometimes, I think she listens to Artie more than she listens to me.” Yvonne threw on an exaggerated pout.

“Maybe you should punch her in the shoulder after you give her advice.”

Yvonne snickered. “No, I’m fairly sure that way leads to domestic abuse for me. She’s too hardheaded most of the time. But, I think I’m ready for kids and I want to have them young, so I have the energy to keep up with them.”

Quinn nodded. “I get what you mean.”

“Have you thought about when you’re going to start?” Yvonne asked.

“No, I haven’t. We’ve been so busy…” Quinn trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought. She was sick of sounding like she was blaming Artie’s life for their life. “I love the pantheon.”

A grin lit up Yvonne’s face. “I know you do. They’re impossible not to love, but you feel like you have to put all of your energy into them.”

She sighed, relief flooding her to knew Yvonne did not take her statement the wrong way. “Not me, but Artie definitely. She’s already raising five kids. I guess I hadn’t thought of that when we got married, but now I’m almost a step-parent. Venus still calls me for boy advice and fashion advice. The Bug will still fight the Piglet over who gets to sit next to me and then I still have to worry about keeping an eye on them when we go some place. And, we always have to go some place, do something productive on the weekends, and make sure everyone had proper after school actives and such.”

Yvonne nodded. “It is a lot.”

“There are times when I just want to be a girl in my twenties, you know?” 

“That’s understandable. But, do you want to raise up those kids and then have to start over?”

Quinn flinched. “I can see your point.” It sounded exhausting and she was not sure if they would start their own family once they were done with raising the pantheon. Artie might be too tired or might find she liked having an empty nest. If Artie did not want kids after that, she was not sure what would do.

Yvonne regarded her with big, concerned eyes. “Do you think you’ve given too much to the pantheon?” 

“No, of course not!” Quinn took a calming breath. “I love them. I do. I love them with all my heart. I’m just not sure if I’d be able to handle another child, a baby right now. Besides, it’s too early to think about that anyway. We don’t have the space for a baby.”

Rolling her eyes, Yvonne scoffed. “You will soon. You sound like Vega with the excuses.”

Quinn sighed. She always thought she would be more hyped up about the idea of having children with Artie. It was something she wanted. She was not sure she wanted it right now. Letting loose a long breath, she ran her hand through her hair and glanced away, hoping to gather her thoughts. 

“I’m not trying to push you to have kids now, but I think you should start to consider. I know you want a family with Artie. Is the one Artie already has enough?” Yvonne asked.

“No. I want kids with her. I want to raise our own children with her, but…” Quinn sighed once more and shook her head. “I dunno. Sometimes, I feel burnt out just from the pantheon. I’ve talked to Artie about this. But, yes, I do want to have kids. One or two, with two being Artie’s limit.” She could understand the limit, but three would be really nice. She adored Artie and found herself wanting as many children as Artie desired, believing they could raise incredible, little wonders who could change the world for the better.

Yvonne smiled. “I know you do. Maybe it’s time for you to step back a little from the pantheon. You’re not their mom. I know you want to be part of their lives, but you don’t have to be a stepmother and you shouldn’t feel like one just because they feel Art’s their dad.”

“I feel like I can’t do that. I can’t just step back from this role. I like them. I like being with them and doing things with them.” As worn out as she felt lately, she still wanted to do everything she did with the pantheon and could not imagine doing anything less. 

Yvonne leaned over and rubbed her shoulder. “What if that’s actually it?”

Quinn furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?” 

“What if you’re actually willing to put your own desires on hold because you don’t want to split your time with the pantheon? So, it’s not so much you don’t want your own child, but you don’t want to have to focus on someone outside of the pantheon. You don’t want to change up the routine.”

Quinn frowned. “I never thought of that.” Would Diana be ready to relinquish being the baby of the family? Would Diana and Juno be ready and willing to share not only her, but Artie as well?

“They’re all responsible to a degree and they’re always willing to share. There’s six of them, after all,” Yvonne said.

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “You read thoughts?”

Yvonne scoffed. “You’re easier than Vega sometimes. You shouldn’t let the pantheon worry you. They’re always waiting for the next one to show up. Now, if you feel like you don’t have the energy for a baby, then that’s another matter. If you don’t think you’re ready, that’s another matter. But, you can let thoughts of the pantheon hold you back. They’d love to be aunts.”

Quinn knew she could not call Yvonne a liar on that. She had been married to Artie for three years now. Artie was established in her career. She had finished her novel and submitted it. Now would be a good time to start a family.

“Just something else to discuss with Artie,” Quinn said.

Yvonne smiled. “I hope it all goes well. Who knows, we could be the start of a family bond that lasts generations.”

“I’d like that.” Quinn would love for her children to have bonds she had not been able to have. Now, she would have to talk to Artie and find out what she thought.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn finds out what happened with the novel she submitted.


	13. Hurts So Bad

13: Hurts So Bad

Artie thought it was funny how life worked. There were lulls in activity and then when things got busy, they got truly busy. Just as she and Quinn got established enough to think about a house, Vega and Yvonne dropped a bomb about considering expanding their family and then Quinn’s first novel was published. Now, she needed to do a celebration for Quinn without spending a bunch of money. 

“We can do something at the resort,” Vega pointed out with a soft grunt. She and Artie were at the gym, lifting weights and trying to plan for the celebration.

“We always end up doing something at the resort,” Artie replied, working up a good burn in her biceps. It seemed lazy to her. This was Quinn’s first solo book. It deserved something special.

“Because it works and it’s cheap for us. Besides, the resort is nice. Much better than anything we could afford if my dad wasn’t my dad.”

Artie nodded. “Can’t call you a liar on that.” After all, they knew what it cost to rent any of the gathering rooms at the resort.

“It would just be us and her grandparents anyway. Quinn would probably be happy if we all just took her to dinner.”

Artie scoffed. “Yeah, she would, but I wouldn’t be happy with that. This is something huge. She published a fucking book. One I still don’t know who the killer is!” She never thought the moment would come, but Quinn stumped her. She always knew how the book ended, even when Quinn tried to keep it a closely guarded secret.

Vega laughed to the point her eyes sparkled. “It’s driving you nuts, isn’t it?”

“Oh, my god, yes!” Artie wanted to throw her hands up, but the dumbbells in her grip made that impossible. She was not sure how Quinn managed it, but she wrote an entire book and let Artie see all of it except the end and Artie had no idea whodunit.

“Is she at least going to let you see the ending when the rest of us get to read it?” Vega asked as a sweat bead rolled down her golden cheek.

Artie gave her a half-smirk. “Oh, you plan on reading it?”

Vega scoffed. “Yvonne will give me the highlights.”

Artie rolled her eyes, even though she knew Vega was lying. Vega would probably read the whole book in one night as soon she got a copy of it. They would only know when she made some offhand comment about the book during a conversation and then she would pretend it never happened. Of course, that would not help Artie plan a party for Quinn.

“Look, you’re thinking too hard on this. You get her favorite people in a room, you get good food so we don’t complain much, and you let her be happy,” Vega said.

“I want it to be special.” She wanted any and everything for Quinn to be special.

“You make it special just between the two of you. That’s when you wine and dine her with candlelight and things like that. For the party, though, you keep it simple. We all like simple. Hell, if you want to be silly, you make it a theme party. Everyone dress up as their favorite literary character.”

Artie laughed. “Yeah, so we can all not do that.”

“I definitely had no plans to do it.”

Artie felt like Vega was right. They could do a small gathering in one of the rooms at the resort. Quinn would appreciate having something and seeing her favorite people. But, there had to be something she could do to make things special for Quinn.

-8-8-8-8-

“I feel like I just threw together a kid’s birthday party,” Artie grumbled, glaring at the “congratulations” banner hanging just above a beautifully decorated cake. The cake was about the only thing that did not feel kiddie to her. The room was decorated in streamers, the banner, and balloons. She felt like she should have booked a clown to ruin it for everyone. The best thing she felt she did with the decorations was make sure they were all some shade of purple, Quinn’s favorite color.

Yvonne scoffed. “You did fine. This is just what she’d want. How’s she getting here anyway? You left her the car?” She stepped closer and tugged on Artie’s dark blue suit jacket, buttoning it shut. She then straightened out Artie’s lilac colored tie.

“Nah, she’s at the apartment, but I arranged for a ride.” The first big step of her surprise.

Yvonne ran her hand down Artie’s front, making sure everything was straight and secure. “Sweet.”

“I certainly hope so.” Artie also hoped Quinn actually made it to the party. It was possible she and her ride would get sidetracked.

“You look good, too,” Yvonne said, getting a smile out of Artie. “Just remember to button up unless you have on a three-piece. Quinn likes the way your suits hug you and seeing the jacket secure, pulling against your shoulders is good eye-candy.”

Artie chuckled. “Oh, is it?”

Yvonne winked. “We’ve compared notes.”

Artie had no doubt about that and was not bothered by it. She gave the room one last look over, seeing everything in place and taking in everyone’s wonderful outfits. It was so nice for them all to dress up for this little get-together to celebrate their favorite author. She hoped everything went well.

It felt like bubbles popped in her veins when Quinn came into the room with Morgan by her side. The friends were laughing and that was interrupted by everyone yelling surprise. Quinn jumped and Morgan laughed more.

“What is this?” Quinn asked, scanning the small room. Her eyes lingered on the balloons for a moment and a small smile tugged on her lips. Artie felt a little less like an ass for having them there.

“This is your publishing party,” Artie replied as she collected a bouquet of flowers. She stepped over to Quinn and took her into her arms, kissing her on the lips and passing her the bouquet.

Quinn turned to Morgan and tried to glare at her, but her eyes sparkled with joy. “I should’ve known you didn’t just turn up in town for no reason!”

Morgan grinned. “I never said no reason. And you act like I don’t turn up every couple of months to hang out.”

Quinn chuckled and turned her attention to everyone else in the room. The pantheon rushed her, giving hugs and congratulations. Their grandparents went next. Then, the music was kicked up and it was a little party. Everyone mingled and chatted.

“So…” Artie put her arm back around Quinn and pulled her close, starting to sway so they could dance together. “When do I get a copy of your book?”

Quinn smiled as she fell into step with Artie. “Oh, it’s killing you, isn’t it?”

“Yes! It’s totally killing me, babe. Can you just tell me? Please,” Artie said, poking out her bottom lip. She could not believe she had no idea who was the murderer in the book.

“No, I can’t tell you. I honestly can’t believe you still haven’t figured out who the killer is. This is perfect.” Quinn had the nerve to clap.

Artie groaned. “You’re going to torture me with this forever, aren’t you?” Her stomach dropped. How could she share in this moment with her wife if she did not know how the book ended?

Quinn’s smile was devilish. “For as long as I can. I have copies for everyone here except you.”

“No!” There was no way her wife could be so cruel.

“Oh, yes. You’re on your own.”

“I’d have an easier time solving who the hell Jack the Ripper was than solving your book,” Artie said. She stuck out her lower lip even more than before, hoping for some sympathy.

With a chuckle, Quinn poked her lip with her index finger and then walked off. Artie sighed, but did not press the issue, even as her guts twisted. Surely she would get a complete book when everyone else did. She had to get one, right? She turned to her wife, who was busy thanking everyone for coming out.

“I couldn’t have done this without all of your support,” Quinn said and then she locked eyes with Artie and winked. “Especially my grandparents who have helped me do the impossible.” Namely, stump Artie.

Quinn cut the cake and handed out slices, soaking up congratulations from everyone. Artie took a piece and flopped down in a chair in the corner. Morgan settled down next to her.

“She really hasn’t told you the killer?” Morgan asked, shoving a forkful of cake in her mouth.

“No, she hasn’t and I can’t figure it out based on what she gave me. Have you read the completed piece?” Artie asked, poking the cake with her fork. She did not want it. With luck, one of her sisters would wander by and take it off of her hand. Her eyes swept through the small crowd and spotted each member of the pantheon occupied with someone and cake of their own. It was not her night.

Morgan shook her head. “Nah. She wanted me to wait for it to come out. I just can’t believe she’s really leaving you to squirm like this. I mean, she told me she would, but I didn’t think she was serious.”

Artie felt her eyes widen to the point she was afraid they would fall out of her head. “She told you she would?” She swallowed hard as she felt a stabbing sensation in her heart.

Morgan went on, oblivious to the pain she caused. “Oh, yeah. This has been the plan since she decided her first book would be the one you couldn’t figure out who the killer was. She was so annoyed with the way you always figured it out that she promised she’d make sure you didn’t know until the very last moment.” She ate a bit of her cake.

Artie frowned. “Well, that’s not very nice.”

Morgan patted her knee. “I’m sure she doesn’t mean it how it sounds. She’s just teasing you.”

Artie was certain that was the case, but it still bothered her to not know whodunit. Worse yet, strangers on the street might know before she did. Her chest burned at the thought.

“Baby, you don’t like the cake?” Quinn asked.

Artie blinked. When did Quinn sit down next to her? She glanced around, noticing Morgan was now across the room, speaking with Yvonne. “Huh? No, I’m good with the cake.”

“It’s really good. I thought it was a bit weird you weren’t eating it,” Quinn said. 

Artie shoved a huge piece of cake in her mouth, tasting none of it as a bit of melting whipped cream sliding down the corner of her mouth. Quinn smiled at her and wiped the mess away with her thumb. Artie sighed, setting her fork on the side of her plate. There was no way she would be able to finish the rather thin slice of cake.

“Are you okay, Artie?” Quinn asked, pressing herself close to Artie. 

Artie wanted to say she was far from okay. She was pissed off. She put together this little party, called Morgan to get her butt in town, and everything, but at the end of the day, she still had no idea how Quinn’s book ended. It was not fair. Was it so wrong to want to share in her wife’s success?

“This book thing is really bothering you, huh?” Quinn took Artie’s hand and intertwined their fingers.

“I get the joke, Quinn, but…” Artie shook her head. She could understand the fun in teasing her, but she wanted to support Quinn.

Quinn kissed her knuckles. “I’m not trying to hurt you feelings, Artie. You know you mean the world to me. I was going to hold out, but I can see this isn’t funny to you. There’s a copy of the finished book under your pillow.”

Artie’s mouth dropped open. “How long has it been there?” 

“For a while. I was going to tell you after I gave everyone their own copies. You have the very first copy, though. It’s signed and everything.” 

Artie felt her heart swell. “Oh, my god. Really?” How had she not noticed she had a book under her pillow?

“Yes, really. Did you actually think I was cruel enough to not give you a book?” Quinn tilted her head and searched her face.

Artie shook her head. “I just didn’t know how long you’d drag this out and not being able to share this with you has been torture.”

Quinn smiled and kissed her cheek. “You’ve been sharing this with me for a long time. I’m sorry I made you feel differently.”

Artie’s throat burned and she feared tears might be on the way. Leaning down, she pressed her forehead to Quinn’s. Quinn gave her a small smile, grabbed her fork, and fed her some cake. And just like that, everything was right in Artie’s world.

“I love you,” Artie said. 

Quinn blushed. “I know. I love you, too.”

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: house shopping.


	14. Searching for Home

14: Searching for Home

Quinn tucked her hand into Artie’s as they walked through another house that caught their eye. They had seen several houses over the past few weeks. Nothing really spoke to them. They had been able to sit down and discuss with the pantheon what was happening after they had the small celebration over Quinn getting her book published. They could not have a big celebration because they needed every penny for the house, including the many loans they were offered from family. Quinn enjoyed the intimate party they had.

“What do you think so far?” Artie asked as they stepped into the living room.

“It’s a good size,” Quinn answered. It was a good size for what she knew would become a gathering place for the pantheon and their friends. It should scream home, but it did not speak to her. The air was stale, despite the fact that people came in and out of the house often. Still, there was a chance they could build a good home there. With their presences, the pantheon, and all of their love could change the atmosphere.

“You want some time to look around and then I can tell you about the house or would you like me to accompany you first?” the real estate agent, Caroline Harden, asked. They had seen a few houses with Caroline and they never did it the same way twice.

“Give us a moment,” Quinn replied.

The agent nodded and they walked off to explore. They viewed the house online and found it impressive. It was not disappointing in real life as far as looks went. Not just the living room, but there was a dining room area next to the kitchen. The kitchen was about the size of the living room in their apartment. Quinn stood at the counter.

“I think I’d like moving around this kitchen with you,” Quinn said, running her hands over the countertop. It was cool to the touch, but also send warmth into her fingertips. _We could warm this place up. We could make this home_.

Artie stood behind her, pulling her close and pressing her against the cool stone. “I’d like to put you up on this counter.”

Quinn giggled, but pushed back against her spouse. “Of course you’d take it there.” But, it would probably help break the place in. Did Artie sense something was off about the house as well?

“You know I had to.” Artie kissed her cheek. “But, yeah, I could see us cooking in here. I can also see us making sure no one is sneaking extra ice pops,” she said as she stepped over to the refrigerator. She opened the top twin doors and then pulled the drawers to the freezer.

Quinn smiled a little and for the moment heard the echo of children laughing. It reminded her of Diana when she first met the child so many years ago. Her heart fluttered, but she did not get a chance to get lost in her mind.

“There’s good cabinet space,” Artie said, closing the cabinets above the stove.

The thud echoed through Quinn, making her jump, but she quickly regained control of herself. _This could certainly be home if we tried_. _Why didn’t it feel like that in the beginning?_ She was not sure, but she was willing to dismiss it now. “Let’s see about closet space.” One of the major problems with the apartment was not enough closet space and it had nothing to do with their clothes. If they had company over, it was almost impossible to hang everyone’s coat. They barely had a linen closet and could not keep much in it.

Artie nodded and they checked all of the first floor closets. So far, it seemed like the house did not have a storage problem. There were three bathrooms, including one in the master suite. Then, there were three other bedrooms.

“Will this be enough space? I mean, the girls are going to visit. Will they be okay with sharing rooms?” Quinn asked as they stood in the upstairs hallway. Glancing around, she thought of the pictures they would put on the walls and considered that might somehow bring life, warmth to the house. Despite thinking the place could be home, it still did not hit her quite like she thought it would when they viewed the pictures online. She could not put her finger on it, but there was something stiff about the house.

Artie scoffed. “You forget they’ve all had to share a room at some point in their lives. Sharing won’t be a problem. Maybe you can even have an office space. That way you have some place to retreat and do your writing thing for real, instead of having to tune me and the girls out all the time.”

Quinn would appreciate a quiet spot to write. Most of the time, it was impossible to tune Artie out. She did not want to tune Artie out. With an office, where she could not see or hear Artie, she might be able to focus solely on her writing. But, that meant one of the bedrooms would be an office, leaving only two. What if they had two children? Then, there would not be any space for the pantheon.

“What about when we have kids?” Quinn said, voice quiet, lost in the very idea. Would they raise children in this house?

Artie turned her mouth up to one side as she put her arm around Quinn’s waist. “What do you mean?”

“Well, do you plan on having them share a room their entire lives?”

Artie smirked a bit. “‘They’? I thought we agreed to only have one.”

“Well, maybe two.” Quinn shrugged, hoping to get away with that. They were going to have to sit down and have a real conversation about children, maybe before they buy a house to make sure they at least got the right amount of space.

Artie nodded and gave her a little squeeze. “Two. Okay. We’ll see. So, you want to look at a house with more bedrooms or we could look in the basement and see if there’s room for an office space down there.”

“The basement?” She never considered an office in the basement. It seemed so distant from the rest of the house, but that might be something she needed.

“Or anywhere else in the house? This is a good house, size-wise anyway. We might be able to make it work and if not, we’ll keep looking.”

Quinn nodded. They had looked at several different houses, usually with four to five bedrooms. Out of the dozen houses, this one was the best so far. But, there was still more to see. There was an attic space, which would be good for storage, but not much else. The basement was huge, but Quinn knew she would not want an office there. While she needed some place to herself, she needed to feel connected to the life in the house to get a good flow.

“Hey, what about the garage?” Artie said, nodding toward the door that led to the garage.

Quinn pursed her lips. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we don’t really need a garage. There’s a driveway. We can turn the garage into a workspace for you.” Artie rushed over to the garage door just off the main entrance. Quinn followed her and stepped into the garage.

“I think this might be too much space. One of the smaller bedrooms would work better,” Quinn said. She only needed a spot for a small desk and a bookshelf to hold research books. The garage was almost the size of their apartment. 

“Then we can turn this into a room. There are ways to make this work, love,” Artie replied, throwing her arm around Quinn’s shoulder.

“You like this house, don’t you?”

There was a shrug. “Well, the location is perfect. Walking distance from Vega and less of a bus ride for Tia to get here. Let’s check out the backyard.”

It was not a ringing endorsement, but Quinn decided against pointing that out. Artie took Quinn by the hand and led her toward the back. They took a moment to gaze out of the glass doors to see into the backyard. 

The backyard was big and Quinn could picture cookouts there with Artie and Vega fighting over who would man the grill while Juno and Diana ran around. The twins and Tia would have significant others and their mother would pretend to like them, but be crushed over her girls growing up. All of their grandparents would be there, teasing Artie about how she cooked. Vega’s father would probably try to engage Anna, keep her mind off of the fact that her girls were becoming adults. If not this house, then some other one. _Hopefully, some other one_.

“I can’t wait to start this journey with you,” Quinn whispered and kissed Artie on the cheek. 

Artie smiled. “We’ve already started the journey. This is a stop in what I know is going to be a long trip.”

Quinn nodded. “There’s no one else I’d rather take this trip with.”

Artie leaned down and kissed her softly, full of promise and love. “That makes two of us. So, let’s get Catherine to give us another walk through and see what she has to say about the place. But, I have to admit, I’m kinda in love already.”

Quinn laughed. “You’ve been in love with about six houses so far. I don’t think we can afford all of them.” Artie smiled, as it was the truth. Quinn was not sure if this house was the one, but surely there was one out there that was.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: moving out leads to something that has nothing to do with moving.


	15. Leaving Pieces Behind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: some lady-loving in this chapter. Come back later if that’s not your thing.

15: Leaving Pieces Behind 

Artie grunted as she stacked one more box by the apartment door and wiped sweat from her brow. Finding their dream home had been much harder than packing up the apartment, mostly because family helped with the latter. Boxes had been packed up within days and most of them were downstairs in the moving truck. 

“Hey, love, is that everything?” Artie called, her voice echoing slightly. Quinn was in the apartment somewhere. Last Artie checked, Quinn should have packed up whatever was left in the kitchen. She glanced around, heart thumping heavy in her chest. She was surprised to find she would miss the place. It had been home for almost as long as they had been married. It held so many memories, laughter from good times, scents from gatherings, and so much love.

“Almost. I need your help with something in here,” Quinn replied.

 _What the hell does she need my help with?_ Artie would not know until she went to the kitchen. She choked on her tongue at the sight of Quinn propped up on the kitchen counter, looking like a gift from heaven, or at the very least a trap from hell. Either way, Artie’s mouth dropped open. Quinn smirked and propped a foot against the bottom cabinet, her violet lace teddy riding impossibly high.

“I thought we packed up all the clothes,” Artie said, eyes stuck on her wife’s perfect form.

Quinn tugged on a strap. “I might have been wearing this under my t-shirt.”

“I think you mean my t-shirt.” Artie figured Quinn wore her shirt on moving day since her clothes were used to a workout.

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “Why are we talking about t-shirts when I’m wearing this?” She dragged her finger down her torso and Artie throbbed at the sight.

“Is that an invitation?” Artie took a step forward.

“I’m pretty sure it was an invitation when I called you in here for help.”

Artie did not need more than that, kissing her wife. She pushed Quinn further back onto the counter. They had done this countless times before, but this would be the last time.

“I’m gonna miss this,” Quinn breathed, wrapping her legs around Artie.

Artie fought down a growl. She lifted an eyebrow as she ran her hands up and down her wife’s torso. “Will there be no more kitchen counter sex in the house?” That was disappointing.

Quinn scoffed. “Oh, please. I just meant this is the last time on this counter. Now, are you gonna fuck me or what? And, yes, that is an invitation.”

“Something else I’ll never live down.” Artie had a greatest hits list with these things, but that was something to worry about later.

Another kiss, a little rougher than before, Artie’s tongue tangling with Quinn’s. Quinn pulled her closer using her legs. Artie massaged Quinn’s thighs, slowly sliding upward to Quinn’s waist, then her stomach, and continued on until she got to sweet breasts. The weight in her hands would never cease to amaze or arouse her. Quinn moaned into her mouth. God. It tasted amazing. _More_. She squeezed the treasures at her fingertips just the way Quinn liked and Quinn pitched forward while moaning into her mouth again. The pleased sound faded into disappointment as Artie’s hands drifted.

“Taking this off,” Artie said, already at the hem of the teddy.

Quinn panted and smirked. “How many invites do you need, dammit?”

“You are feisty today.”

“You like it.”

Artie scoffed. “You can’t prove that.”

Artie yanked the lingerie before Quinn could say something else smart. She flung it behind them and came in for another kiss. It tasted like home. Quinn was home, so it was all right to miss the apartment, but she would never miss home. Home was always with them.

Quinn took charge of Artie’s hands, putting them back at her breasts. Artie did not need the hint, or even the help. Her fingertips danced along Quinn’s breasts while her thumbs flicked Quinn’s adorable nipples. Quinn’s hands ended up on Artie’s ass. A squeeze drew a moan from Artie.

“You want me?” Artie asked, kissing along Quinn’s jaw. She nipped at one of Quinn’s earlobes.

“Yes,” Quinn breathed, tilting her head back. Another invitation.

Artie’s lips and tongue traveled down Quinn’s neck to her collarbones. Each side got the same attention before she came to her favorite pair. She took the left nipple in her mouth, freeing up her right hand to seek further entertainment. Quinn cried out, nails digging into Artie’s shoulder. The bite of her nails dug in as Artie’s right hand slid home.

“Yes, love.” Quinn purred, bucking against Artie’s fingers, praising Artie with her words and body.

Artie did not answer, suckling Quinn harder, planning to leave a mark. She curled her fingers inside Quinn, loving the feel of her beloved. The way Quinn hummed from the attention and pulsed around her digits made Artie move with a little more intent and purpose. Quinn hissed and bucked against her once more. Artie knew what she wanted. Fast. Hard. Quinn’s breath hitched and she clung to Artie’s shoulders even tighter, nails digging into Artie’s flesh. It made her shiver and want. Artie’s tongue flicked and played with Quinn’s nipple.

“Fuck. So good,” Quinn hissed, moving with Artie as best she could. She showered whatever part of Artie she could reach with kisses, each touch like sun shining on Artie’s heart.

“You feel perfect, sweetheart,” Artie said. Quinn was warm satin. She was comfy pajamas on a cold day. Artie was easily addicted, needing to drag out pleasure for all it was worth.

“Please, please, please.” Quinn moved with even more purpose. Artie pushed in closer, needing to make sure Quinn did not buck herself off the countertop.

Artie leaned in for another kiss as her thumb glided across Quinn’s clit. Quinn cried out into her mouth, tasting exquisite. She could live off of the sounds from Quinn, like pure nourishment. She curled her fingers again, hitting the sweet spot and earning a crowing moan from Quinn. Quinn pulled away from the kiss, throwing her head back, as Artie stroked her just the way she liked it.

Panting heavily, Quinn clutched the hair at the nape of Artie’s neck, driving Artie to move faster. Quinn’s breath hitched and she showered Artie’s shoulders and neck in wet kisses. Artie purred and crossed her fingers inside of Quinn. Quinn’s kiss turned into a bite, possibly breaking the skin as she vibrated all around Artie. Artie groaned at the feel and Quinn fell against her, skin flush, breath light.

“That was amazing,” Quinn sighed. She kissed the side of Artie’s neck.

“Oh, we’re not done yet,” Artie said.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn was not sure what Artie meant about not being done, but she did not have to wonder for long. Artie picked her up off of the counter, making her yelp. She clung to Artie, who held her briefly and then eased her down onto the floor. Apparently, round two would kitchen floor sex. She had no objections.

“Come here, baby,” Quinn begged as Artie hovered over her. Even though they were not touching, she felt surrounded by Artie. They had marked the apartment like they marked each other. Would they leave little bits of themselves here? _Not these bits, I hope_.

Artie frowned. “We packed up all the toys.”

“We’re fine.” Quinn panted, clutching at her spouse’s shirt. She needed Artie to touch her again. Now. They would never be able to do this again here and she needed to leave this mark, this little bit of themselves. The walls, the floorboards, the cracks needed to remember them, remember their love.

Artie nodded. “Yeah, I sorta want you in my mouth anyway.”

Quinn whimpered at the admission. The thought made memories crept through her mind. They had done this so many times here and it felt like somehow they had not done it enough times here. She throbbed, needing Artie’s mouth right now, needing the count to be upped, as if that would make leaving easier.

“Please,” Quinn said.

Artie smirked. “I love it when you beg.”

Quinn knew that and saved it for special occasions, but for the moment she was serious. She beckoned Artie to her with a crooked finger. Artie leaned down, settling in between Quinn’s legs and kissing her. The kiss was slow, drawn out. They explored each other, re-familiarizing themselves with each other, letting the very air take in their actions and paint on the ceiling. Quinn ran her hands up and down Artie’s arms.

Artie’s muscles were sharp, cut, and amazing under her fingertips. Quinn still could not believe how cut her spouse was, despite having such a full life. She felt so powerful and it was so fucking sexy.

“The house kitchen is gonna see more action than this, right?” Artie asked, kissing below Quinn’s ear.

Quinn shivered. “You know it will.” They had a house to get to, to mark, to own, and build a mountain of memories that even Everest would never be able to touch.

“Good. You’re my favorite meal.” Artie kissed her way down Quinn’s neck.

Quinn panted in anticipation as Artie’s lips drifted lower and lower. Artie’s hands were not idle, kneading Quinn’s breasts as perfect as always. Passion crept through her, lapped at her flesh like gentle waves. Quinn moved from Artie’s arms to her breasts, pulling a light moan from Artie’s throat. The sound was delightful, like adding a pleasant crash to those gentle waves, so Quinn continued on, thumbing Artie’s nipples. Artie groaned into Quinn’s neck and nipped her collarbone.

“Not cool, Quinn,” Artie said, voice trembling with desire and ache.

“How so? They’re mine, aren’t they? I can do what I want with them and at the moment I’d like them in my mouth,” Quinn replied. She wished to spend several long minutes letting her tongue play with the plump gems atop Artie’s chest.

“Well, too bad since I want you in my mouth.”

Quinn throbbed again. Artie’s mouth was magic, but she really wanted to enjoy Artie’s breasts for as long as she could. She tugged at Artie’s nipples and Artie whined, her breath caressing Quinn’s overheated skin. The noise hit Quinn right where it mattered. Still, she wanted to occupy her time with Artie’s breasts for a little while.

“Fuck,” Artie hissed, hips pressing down against Quinn.

Quinn smiled to herself, but moaned when Artie’s finger slipped inside of her. “Not fair,” she whimpered as stars danced before her eyes.

“Says you.” Artie breathed and slipped away from Quinn, finger taking control and making Quinn lose her grip on reality beyond ecstasy. She was all but lost when one finger became two and magically lips descended upon her.

Quinn whined, which turned into a loud moan when Artie wrapped her lips around Quinn’s clit. Her hips twitched, chasing Artie’s tongue. Quinn arched, feeling Artie’s hand pinched her nipple. It all felt so good. All she could focus on was feeling, let it engulf, devour her, own her. It was like there would always be a piece of it inside of her, like there would always be a piece of them in the apartment.

“Artie,” she cried out as her spouse’s fingers worked her inside out. Beneath the sweet motions, she swore she could feel Artie smirk against her. The notion did not live long as Artie’s mouth and fingers combined to do wonderfully wicked and blessed things to her body.

Her hand grabbed at Artie’s hair, holding on for dear life as her pleasure mounted. Her heart raced and she bucked more, trying to get all of Artie. Artie’s tongue and lips continued on and her fingers moved leisurely in and out of Quinn. And then Artie sucked and it was like flipping a switch, gaining power all at once. Bliss crashed into Quinn, filled every bit of her to the brim within seconds. Quinn fell off the edge with a loud scream.

Quinn hit the kitchen floor as pleasure washed over her. Artie lapped at her, gently, lightly, sending small jolts through Quinn. She twitched and sighed. Sated did not begin to cover it. As her body calmed, Artie pulled away, staying between her legs, but hovering over her.

“More of this to come in a house we own,” Artie said.

“Can’t wait.” It would be on the top of her list, right after unpacking.

“Then, let’s get outta here.” Artie popped up and walked off. Quinn groaned, but she did not have the energy to protest. She would pay Artie back later.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: they move into their new house.


	16. Home, Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: more of that lady-loving.

16: Home, Sweet Home 

Quinn wiped her brow as she finally finished putting away the dishes in the cabinets. There were other things to do, but she wanted to do this first. After all, the second the house looked presentable, the pantheon would be over and need something to eat off. She would rather actual dishes than paper plates. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her phone went off to let her know she got a text. It was in the “family thread,” as they had all taken to calling it. It had whole Brenner clan as well as Vega and Yvonne in it. 

“How goes the unpacking?” Yvonne asked with a smiley face emoji.

Quinn looked around the kitchen, nodding to herself. “Going pretty good.” She was almost done and she could not wait to make something. The kitchen was not huge by any means, but it was much bigger than the one at the apartment and it was all hers. Well, hers and Artie, if Artie ever actually made something anyone wanted to eat. It could fit five people comfortably in it, unlike the old one which felt like two people in it was a gross overload.

The phone went off again. “When’s the housewarming party?” Venus asked. 

Quinn rolled her eyes and let her fingers fly in response. “You better focus on your schoolwork.” They would have a little party over next weekend. For the moment, they wanted to get everything out of the boxes and then get a better idea of what they needed to buy and what might need to be replaced.

Another chime. “You got all the furniture moved in yet?” Vega asked.

“Yes. Thanks again.” Vega had taken the day off yesterday to help Artie with the furniture. They had done most of it, but Artie had to finish the last of it on her own earlier today. Their dining room table was set up, but looking at it in the house now, with everything else, it was probably going to be replaced eventually. They needed to save money for a set that fit their new dining room, a set that fit their family. How many other things would they have to save money for? She looked forward to it.

Quinn went to living room, wanting to take in the fact that they had a real living room now. She could not believe the space. They could fit the whole family there and not have to worry about everyone being on top of everyone else. They would not have to worry about the pantheon hitting each other for elbow room. The youngest members of the pantheon would not have to always use her and Artie as chairs; they did not seem to realize they were getting heavy as they got older. 

Artie already had ideas for a bigger television and a more comprehensive entertainment system. Quinn would leave that to her spouse, who was already putting money aside for it. Her eyes swept across the walls, begging for pictures and shelves and knick-knacks.

“I can’t believe this.” They had a house. It was like some wild dream and simply standing in the living room made her heart race.

“What can’t you believe?” Artie slipped in behind her, putting an arm around her waist. Now, it felt like home. It was not a house. It was home. Their home. Their roots. This was where they would live, raise a family, and host gatherings. This was their future. This was everything. 

“We have a house, love. A home.” She turned to kiss Artie’s cheek and then brought a hand to caress the same spot.

Artie smiled, but her brow furrowed. “We had a home before.” 

“Yes, but now we have a home that can fit our whole family. A home that can allow our family to grow. A home where we’ll live for years, decades even.”

Artie kissed her neck. “Well, first, we need to live days in it and get this place presentable before we can grow anything in it.”

Quinn stared at her spouse, studying her, wanting to see deep into Artie. Yes, they had a home before, but this was like a Big Bang Theory for their home. “Did you finish your assignment? Is that why you’re here?” Artie was faster at unpacking, simply taking things out of the boxes and figuring out their places later. Quinn had been putting their things away, mostly placing them in the same order they had been in their apartment. She would find new places for them later if it was necessary.

A cherubic smile lit up Artie’s face. “I was hoping to christen the living room.” 

Quinn chuckled. “Of course you were. Did you finish your assignment, though?” She wanted to get everything unpacked as soon as possible, so they could then sit down and determine what they needed. Artie had been right with that until the work got started. 

Artie shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Well, then, maybe we can christen the living room.” Quinn tried to wiggle away, but Artie held her close, the light, centralized pressure of her fingers tempting.

“C’mon! I’ll finish it later.”

“Did you open the toy box?” It would explain Artie’s sudden desire to get down and dirty in their partially unpacked living room.

“I did not. What I did was have wonderful visions of you on the couch with your legs wrapped around my head. I kinda need that in my life right this very moment.”

Quinn laughed, even though it was tempting. “No reward until you’re done.” She popped Artie on the butt. 

Artie rubbed her right cheek and put on an exaggerated pout. “Ow! Hey, only my nana can do that!”

“Really? How have I been getting away with it all this time then? Right in front of your nana no less.” Quinn smirked.

“Are you really turning down my tongue to clean? This is what we’re doing right now? Not using my tongue’s awesome skills and cleaning?” Artie asked. 

“You can use your tongue all you want, but you better go finish your assignment first.”

Artie pouted, for real this time. “What if I tell you I did open the toys?” 

“Babe, your cock isn’t going to make this deal any more tempting. I need you to finish up with your unpacking. I also need to finish my unpacking.” Quinn gave Artie a kiss, wanting to get rid of the pout. Of course, it made Artie pout more. “Do I need to pop you again to get you to move?”

Artie snickered. “You can’t keep popping me. That’s domestic abuse.” 

Quinn waved her finger at Artie, who laughed more. But, Quinn’s stomach twisted a little. She never wanted Artie to think she was doing anything beyond playing with her when she swatted Artie. She never wanted anything she did to remind Artie of bad times. Quinn put her hands on Artie’s hips and pulled her close. She gave her another kiss.

“It’s just a joke, princess.” Artie caressed her cheek.

“Yeah, but I never want you to think I’m doing something close to that,” Quinn replied. While she did playfully hit Artie on the butt often, it was because Tori did it. Neither of them did it to hurt or sting or even sizzle a little, only to motivate. Whenever Artie made the joke about abuse, though, Quinn was reminded Artie had experienced real physical abuse in her life, not just against her, but toward her mother and her sisters. 

Artie kissed the end of her nose. “I would never think you’re doing something like that. You pop me all you want. You know it turns me on when you do it.”

Quinn chuckled and stroked Artie’s cheek once more. “You are turned on by the weirdest things.”

“Says the woman who likes when I pull her hair.” 

Quinn scoffed. “That’s your fault. Now, go finish upstairs. I don’t want to end up sleeping on a floor tonight because you refused to make the bed.”

Artie groaned and buckled her knees, falling enough to put her head on Quinn’s shoulder. “I don’t know where the linens are!” 

Quinn smiled and twirled the short hair on Artie’s neck around her finger. “Of course.” Sighing, she shook her head. “You’re lucky you’re cute… and know a good accountant to do our taxes.”

“You make it sound like you don’t believe me.”

“I don’t because I personally witnessed you carry a big old box marked ‘linens’ upstairs when you decided you’d fix up our bedroom. Our bed linens are in the box. You know it.”

“But, I hate making the bed.” She let loose a pathetic moan. Artie was not a fan of cleaning in general, still a work in progress when it came to picking up after herself. 

“I know. I do live with you. Now, can you just go finish up?” Quinn kissed her cheek and drew a smile out of her spouse. “Better now?”

Artie sighed. “I guess.” 

“Now, can you go and finish the room? Maybe we can get some use out of the bed tonight.” 

Artie pouted. “Can I just go pick up dinner while you make the bed? I’ll get your favorite.” She leaned down, nuzzling Quinn and Quinn’s heart melted.

“You’ll do that regardless if I ask you.” It was one of the best things about being with Artie. Quinn knew Artie would always go to great lengths to always make her feel appreciated and loved.

“Damn it. Why do you know me so well?” Artie pouted even more.

“You marry someone for a few years and wake up next to them every morning and you learn a few things. Now, can you please go finish upstairs? I really want to sleep in our bed tonight,” Quinn replied. She would rather sleep in their bed than have her favorite food.

“Don’t like snuggling with me on the floor?” They had slept on the floor the past couple of days, as it took Artie a while to reassemble the bed after work, especially since it took her a while to find her tools.

“Stop stalling. You’re putting me behind. Please, baby.” Quinn poked out her bottom lip.

Artie’s face fell and she covered her eyes. “Aw, don’t point that thing at me. You know I’m powerless to resist!”

Quinn snickered as Artie turned and marched back upstairs to finish the bedroom. Quinn turned her attention back to the living room. With a sigh, she got to work, opening boxes and pulling out their belongings. She hummed to herself as she worked, moving their small coffee table to the right spot, putting pictures and baubles here and there. There were some things, she had to just put down because they would require thought before she placed them someplace. In their little apartment, some of them did not have homes, but now she could find some place for them, some place for everyone to see.

“You’re still working?” Artie came up behind her as she opened a box full of framed pictures.

“Yes, we have so many things that now have a place to go.” Quinn laughed as she climbed to her feet. She could not help clapping. Artie pressed against her, and she could tell why she was being interrupted. “Is that a burger in your pocket or are you happy to see me?” 

Artie laughed. “The burger is in this bag, but it also proves I am quite happy to see you.” The white paper bag was placed on the corner of the coffee table while her hand eased against Quinn’s stomach. She did not even wonder when Artie had time to go out and get food. She lost track of time quite a bit while getting settled into the house.

Quinn pressed herself back into Artie, pulling a groan from both of them. “The food’s going to get cold.” 

“Do you honestly think I give a flying fuck about food when I could be fucking you on the couch?” Artie nipped her ear and, as expected, her legs turned to jelly. Artie held her up.

Quinn moaned. “Might not make it that far.”

Artie picked Quinn up, one arm around her torso and the other under her thighs. They did not move far. Artie eased Quinn onto the sofa, resting her hands on the arm of the couch. Before Quinn could ask any questions, she heard Artie drop behind her, taking her yoga pants and panties with her. Quinn tried to step out of her pants, but Artie did not seem bothered by that, going right to Quinn with her mouth. Quinn let out a loud moan as pleasure shot through her like lightning.

“Oh, yeah. You can do that without worrying the people next door will hear,” Artie said. 

Quinn groaned at the thought of those creeps, two guys who were probably their age. Sometimes, they would bang on the wall to get them to quiet down, but other times. “I know they listened to us.” The way they leered at her when the saw each other in the hallway said as much. Sometimes, they would pant at her and she knew they were mocking the way she breathed during sex. On more than one occasion, she had to keep Artie from breaking them in half. They were not worth the jail time. 

“Well, never again. We’ve got real walls and enough space between neighbors that we shouldn’t have to worry about being loud again.” Artie kissed the back of her knee and up her thigh, finally pulling her pants all the way off for her.

The thought sent a shiver up Quinn’s spine and then Artie’s tongue melted her spine. She moaned loudly again. This was the first time they did not have to worry about someone hearing them, except when they stayed at the bed and breakfast every year a week before Christmas.

“Artie…” Quinn groaned and clutched the couch arm as Artie’s tongue slid through her passion. Artie’s finger quickly found her clit and drew light circles. She whined and arched and was not sure she would be able to hold this position if her spouse was going to tease her. “Artie, please…”

Artie pulled away for a second. “My show.” Then, she went right back to work.

Quinn moaned as Artie’s tongue slipped into her. It was another tease, just a brief inside. She let loose a sharp yelp at the move, which earned her Artie’s tongue and lips for a moment longer. Ecstasy invaded her, marched through her, and then was gone. She turned, glaring down at Artie, who had the gall to smile at her. Oh, two could play that nonchalant game.

“You know what, maybe I’d just rather eat dinner,” Quinn said with a light shrug.

“Okay, okay, okay. So would I.” Artie winked and her mouth was back.

Quinn’s eyes closed as bliss only Artie could bring her danced down her nerves. Moaning, Quinn clutched the sofa as Artie worked her magic. Quinn’s breath quickened as pleasure built and exploded before she realized it. Wave after wave crashed through her, drawing out loud cries as her body trembled. Her arms gave out and she fell against the couch. As she regained her wits, she felt light kisses on her shoulder blades.

“You ready for me?” Artie asked, nipping her ear.

Quinn shivered. “Yes. Yes, please.”

She heard Artie’s clothing rustling, but as she turned to witness the unveiling, pressure on her back from Artie’s hand prevented it. She whined, hoping to play on Artie’s sympathies to get her to give in. The sound only got more pressure on her back. It should not turn her on that Artie could pin her down like this, but it did. Everything powerful thing about Artie made her throb and want. Then she felt Artie against her and she was certain she would explode the second Artie pushed inside. She cooed as Artie caressed her shoulders. 

“You okay?” Artie asked, voice gentle and loving, so different from a moment ago. Even with the shift in tone, Quinn was still a mess for her lover.

“I’d be a lot more okay if you were inside me, damn it,” Quinn replied. 

Artie chuckled and Quinn was about to issue a threat, but she did not get a chance. Artie eased inside of her and Quinn sighed as bliss spread through her. She stretched just right as Artie pushed all the way in and then she was so wonderfully full. She groaned.

“Oh, Artie. You feel so good,” Quinn said. 

Artie’s hands moved up and down Quinn’s sides, leaving trails of adoration all over her. “You got me confused with you, princess. You are so fucking perfect.” 

Quinn could not say anything, as her voice caught in her throat as Artie’s hips moved. Every nerve in her body sang as Artie pumped at the right pace. She mewed as Artie stroked her back, inching up to the nape of her neck. She licked her lips right before Artie gave her hair a sharp tug accompanied by a strong thrust. She cried out.

“Yes!” Quinn felt like she was coming apart already. 

“You like that?” Artie yanked her hair again and shoved inside her.

“Yes!” Damn it, Artie knew she would be little more than a pile of goo if she kept pulling her hair.

What had Artie done to her? Turned her into someone who was happy to bent over the arm of a couch and have her hair pulled? What did it matter?

“Baby, please,” Quinn begged, reaching behind her, trying to grab hold of Artie and pull her closer. She took hold of Artie’s ass and got a fierce thrust for her mischief. A loud cry escaped her and she fell forward. 

“How you gonna hold yourself up with one arm, love?” Artie snickered, clearly proud of herself.

Quinn opened her mouth to reply, but Artie shifted and sped up. The only thing Quinn could do was hold onto the couch as her knees grew weak, her muscles burned, and her heart fluttered. Closing her eyes, she focused on the increasing pleasure blazing through her. She loved when Artie used the scorched Earth policy when it came to sex, hips pounding on like a jackhammer.

“Come on, let me hear you,” Artie said. 

“Yes,” Quinn breathed out, and then screamed the same as Artie pinched her clit. She clutched the couch with both hands. “Fuck, yes, baby. Fuck, yes!”

The sounds seemed to propel Artie harder and Quinn could only take a few more motions before her climax hit her like a pleasure train. Her arms could not support her anymore and she yelled the rest of her elation into the sofa cushion. She yelped as small jolts tickled her spine as Artie slowed a few strokes and then pulled out. Quinn slumped against the couch, trying to get air into her lungs.

Quinn knew if she waited long enough, Artie had her. It took a few seconds, but Artie worked Quinn into her lap and Quinn cuddled into her. She felt a soft kiss to her forehead and Artie caressed her belly to her breasts. She mewed, tucking her head under Artie’s chin.

“That was great,” Quinn said.

“As I promised it would be, if you just let me do my thing earlier,” Artie replied with a grin as she drew tender circles on the small of Quinn’s back.

“Oh, you never fail to make it worth my while. I just wanted to get things done before all I want to do is curl into your lap and have you feed me.” She flashed Artie a smile, hoping her spouse would take the hint.

“I can do that with the fries, but you have to hold your own burger.”

Quinn poked out her lip. “But, my arms feel like jelly!”

Artie laughed. “I’m not holding a burger for you to eat.”

“But, I thought you loved me!”

“Didn’t I just give you an awesome orgasm? Isn’t that love?”

Quinn scoffed. “Love is holding your wife’s hamburger so she doesn’t have to move to eat after giving her an awesome orgasm.”

“I would do that if the logistics weren’t so messy. Now, stop being a baby and eat your burger. I will feed you fries like the queen you are,” Artie said.

Quinn did not want to admit what Artie said made sense. But, she pouted, even as Artie unwrapped her burger for her and put the perfect amount of ketchup on it with a little bit of mayo. She whined when Artie put the food in her hands, but it did nothing.

“You’re so mean,” Quinn said before taking a huge bite out of her burger. She moaned as the flavor hit her tongue.

“You don’t even moan for me like that, but I’m the mean one?” Artie asked.

Quinn snickered. But, true to her word, Artie fed Quinn fries and they enjoyed a meal on the couch… in their house. This was the house they would spend their lives in, entertain friends and family in, and with luck raise children in. They were home.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: they get some new furniture to go with the new space.


	17. When It’s Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: a short bit of lady-loving before we return to our regularly scheduled program.

17: When It’s Good 

Artie was a born tinkerer. She liked putting things together and taking them apart. She delighted in the fact that because their house had more rooms than their apartment, they had to buy new things. Things that needed to be put together. She ditched the gym for this with Vega cursing her out through text message every minute or so. 

“I wish this wasn’t so easy,” Artie murmured as she settled a screw into a simple nightstand for one of the bedrooms. It was a decent piece of furniture and it was enough to make sure the room did not look empty. She had already put together two others and worked up a nice glow. It was no gym workout, but it was enough to put her in a tank top and shorts and have parts of the tank top sticking to her back.

She grabbed the flimsy back of the nightstand and began to set nails into it. She could feel eyes on her back and smiled. She rolled her shoulders and flexed before she gave a nail a harder whack than necessary.

“You like what you see, love?” Artie asked without turning around. She had a bicep jump.

Quinn all but plastered herself to Artie’s back, nuzzling her neck while stroking her bare shoulders. “You look so good.”

“Stop. I’m all sweating.” She gave a halfhearted shrug, trying to shake Quinn off.

“Just the way I like you.” Quinn left a trail of kisses along her neck and shoulders while running her hands up and down Artie’s arms. 

This was another reason Artie liked fixing things and putting things together. It turned Quinn on. Small hands worked their way under her tank top and caressed her abdomen, tracing the lines of her muscles.

“You’re so amazing,” Quinn said.

Artie chuckled. “Because I can put together a cheap nightstand?” Their little bits of basement bargain furniture were not difficult to put together. She enjoyed it, but it was not like when she fixed their toaster a few years ago. Quinn thought she did magic on it.

“Because you can fix stuff around the house,” Quinn replied, nipping Artie’s ear. It did not have the same effect on her as it did on Quinn, but it still felt good. Having Quinn’s weight on her felt even better. 

“And?” Artie tried to focus on finishing the nightstand, but there was no way she could hammer in any nails with Quinn draped over her.

“It’s so damn hot,” Quinn said. She palmed Artie’s breasts and her thumbs flicked Artie’s nipples. 

Artie inhaled through her nose. “This is dangerous to do while I have a hammer in my hand.”

Quinn scoffed and nuzzled Artie’s neck before putting her lips close to Artie’s ear again. “You’ll be careful.” 

Artie had to laugh. “I’ll be careful?”

“I’m sure you will.”

Artie did not have a chance to dispute that as Quinn snatched her tank top off. Artie turned to be met with a heated kiss to her mouth. Quinn’s sweet tongue slid into her lips. She opened her mouth like Quinn’s tongue was the password and it danced with her own while Quinn’s hands kneaded Artie’s breasts, which Quinn never failed to claim as her own.

“I love these so much. Can’t believe they’re all mine,” Quinn said, lips falling to Artie’s neck as she gave her spouse’s breasts another squeeze. 

Each touch made Artie’s nerve jump and twitch and yearn for more. Artie doubted she would ever understand what Quinn liked about her small breasts. They were nothing compared to Quinn’s amazing bosom. They were not as responsive as Quinn’s beauties either. But, Quinn liked them and that was enough for Artie to crave the attention.

“Your little nipples are so cute,” Quinn said before taking one between her lips. 

Artie snickered, finding that to an accurate description of her body, even though she would never say that aloud. Her laugh turned into a moan as Quinn’s tongue lapped at her flesh. Colors flashed before her eyes and felt like she might melt into her wife. Quinn’s hands found themselves at the hem of Artie’s shorts and Artie helped her get them off. Next thing she knew, she was on her back and her wife was between her legs.

“We should do this more often,” Quinn said before placing wet kisses along Artie’s thigh. 

“Do what?” Artie asked.

Quinn bit her leg, making her yelp. It would probably leave a mark, which they would both like. “Why do you always have to be so cheeky?” 

Artie smiled. “You love me this way.”

“I’d like to love you another way if you’d let me.” Quinn’s tongue swiped against her clit.

Artie jumped as pleasure sizzled through her. She opened her mouth, about to say something smart, but Quinn did not give her the chance. Artie let out a sharp coo as Quinn’s hot mouth surrounded her, tongue pressed to her clit, lapping at her. She finally had the presence of mind to release the hammer, needing to run her fingers through Quinn’s marvelous hair. She massaged Quinn’s scalp as bliss seeped through her, settled in her, and made her one with her love. 

Artie sighed and spread her legs wide for Quinn. She felt Quinn’s slim finger probing, but not entering. Quinn looked up at her, eyes requesting permission. Artie smiled. Even after all these years, Quinn still would not go inside of her unless she was absolutely certain it was something Artie wanted. Most of the time, Artie delighted in hosting Quinn, but every now and then, she was not in the mood and Quinn always understood. Today, however, she was very much in the mood.

“Have you way with me, Princess. My body is yours,” Artie said. 

Quinn purred in response and suckled Artie as she eased a finger into Artie. Artie moaned and her back bowed a little, spots dancing before her eyes. One finger became two and the flat of Quinn’s tongue pressed against her clit again. Artie’s breathing sped up as ecstasy flooded her, flowed through every inch of her, and built up until the dam overflowed. Artie crowed her pleasure to the ceiling while caressing Quinn’s head. By the time she came to her senses, she felt Quinn kissing her stomach and playing with her tits.

“I wish I could put these in a box and wrap them up for you,” Artie said. 

Quinn laughed as she pushed herself up somewhat, hovering over Artie. “I’m very happy where they are. They’re within reach and always willing to occupy my time.”

Artie brushed Quinn’s hair back. “They’re supposed to be putting together furniture, though.” 

“No, I do believe these are supposed to be putting together furniture.” Quinn took one of her hands and flicked her fingers.

“Yeah, but it’s all sort of a packaged deal.” 

“You’ll get back to it, I’m sure.” Not any time soon, though. Quinn pushed herself up to curl against Artie’s body. Her hands continued to caress and massage Artie’s breasts. 

“So, what happened to writing in your new office?” Artie asked. She made sure after their bedroom, Quinn’s office space got all of her attention until it was set up for Quinn to do her writing. Quinn had wasted no time going in there and getting down to business.

“I got a lot done. I think the change of scenery suits me. Thank you for this.” 

Artie kissed her forehead. “My love, this was all made possible because of you. We both know if you weren’t here, I’d still be living in my mother’s basement, quite content.”

“Instead, content on our guest room floor.” 

“Hell, yeah. Gotta be content with my best gal pressed against me as we christen another room in the house and have this awesome journey together.” Artie pulled her closer. Quinn made her better in so many ways.

“Your best gal has to get up and make dinner soon.” 

Artie whined and held Quinn tight against her. “I want food, but I don’t want you to leave.”

“Well, you do have furniture to get back to. I know you like putting it together.”

“This is true. Fine.” They remained cuddled up for several long minutes, though. They were on a good path, both careers headed where they wanted, and now homeowners. Soon, they might even have a family of their own. For the moment, they had each other.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: housewarming.


	18. Home’s A Feeling

18: Home’s A Feeling 

The house was ready for the family to view. Quinn wanted to cook for everyone, but Artie convinced her that would not be possible. After a full work week, Quinn would have burned herself out trying to prepare a meal for over fifteen guests, especially when a half-dozen on those ate like it was their last meal at every meal. Her grandparents, Artie’s family, Vega, Yvonne, Vega’s father Mahmoud, and Morgan came to their housewarming. Artie handled the food with pizzas, a six-foot sub, soda, and juice. It would make her and her sisters happy, which made Quinn happy. Of course, pizza helped.

“Congrats,” Morgan said to Quinn as she tried to squeeze her way into the dining room, looking to get some food like everyone else. 

Quinn smiled. “Thanks. I’m glad you could make it.”

“You know I wouldn’t miss your housewarming for anything.” Morgan gave her a one-arm hug, which pushed them into Yvonne a bit.

Yvonne turned and grinned. “Hey, Morgan!” She moved, trying to pull Morgan into a hug if her raised arms meant anything, but it was too tight. 

“So, there’s a room for me?” Tia asked as the whole family tried to fit into the dining room. It was a better fit than when they had the tiny apartment, but it was still a lot of people. Quinn would not be surprised if someone fell out of the dining room into the kitchen with how packed in they were.

“I don’t think there’s room in here for anybody,” Artie replied, picking Diana up before Vega tripped on the child. The room was over capacity without a doubt.

“Why did we all come to get food at the same time?” Quinn scratched her head. They all had eyes. They all knew they would not fit in the dining room altogether.

“Because we don’t want the bottomless pits to eat everything,” Anna replied, glaring at her three oldest children, who all had the nerve to look offended.

Quinn could not call her a liar on that. If they did not eat before Artie, the twins, Vega, and Tia, there would be no food left. They probably should not have set the food up in the dining room in a buffet-style with the aforementioned people right there. It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

“Okay, if you’re someone who can eat their own bodyweight, you need to go to the back of the line,” Anna said, pointing outside of the dining room with her thumb.

“Maybe not my bodyweight, per se,” Aphrodite replied.

“But, definitely Venus’ bodyweight.” Juno grinned.

“You calling me skinny? You little toothpick!” Venus shook her fist her younger sister.

Juno stuck her tongue out. “I probably weigh more than you.”

The other sisters laughed. Artie tried to rein in Juno, but it was impossible since Juno was on the opposite end of the table. Anna tried to help, but she was only one person and the sisters started sniping at each other until it was the whole pantheon going at it. Quinn shook her head. This was too much already.

Quinn clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay! Here’s what we’re going to do. Height order, shortest to tallest.”

Artie, Vega, and the twins all objected. “Hey!”

“This system is biased!” Artie poked out her lip.

“Yes, it is. It works to get the biggest problems away from the food.” Quinn shooed Artie away from the table.

Diana jumped out of Artie’s arms and tucked herself against Quinn. “I am the shortest.” She flashed all her teeth at Artie with a giant grin.

Quinn rubbed the top of Diana’s head. “And now it pays off.”

Diana snickered. Everyone was able to get pizza or a sandwich in an orderly fashion. Then, the scavengers came in and had one of everything. Quinn decided against saying anything, letting Artie eat herself sick if that was what she wanted to do.

“So, are we going to get a grand tour?” Quinn’s grandmother, Babs Matherson, smiled at her.

Quinn glanced over at her spouse. She and Artie had not really discussed how the housewarming would go. She was not sure if Artie wanted to show everyone everything at the same time or if they would let everyone explore on their own. She was also not sure if Artie wanted to open the gifts, which they had not requested, now or later. It was nice to have gifts, but they told everyone they should not have.

“Give me a second.” Quinn eased over to Artie, who was biting Venus’ sandwich while Vega was distracting her. “Stop that!” Quinn swatted Artie on the butt, calling attention to the whole situation.

“Hey!” Venus jumped away, pressing her sandwich close to her body. “Dude, you have your own sandwich!” She glared at Artie.

“Not anymore.” Artie held up her hands to show she had eaten her sandwich already, possibly swallowing it whole considering how quickly she devoured it.

“You’re like a snake,” Quinn said, shaking her head. Artie gave her a proud grin and she decided to ignore it. “My grandma wants the nickel tour, if you don’t mind me taking her around.”

Artie’s brow furrowed. “You can take her to look around. Isn’t that the whole point this? I was planning to just let the pantheon scurry through on their own, like the rodents they are.” The twins were close enough to hear and glared at her.

“Hey, don’t talk about my pantheon like that.” Quinn gave Artie another swat, this time to bicep.

“You gonna keep abusing me? I got minions here, love.” Artie pointed around them.

“I do believe they’re only your minions when you’re not trying to do something against me,” Quinn said.

Venus snickered. “She’s got you there, sandwich thief. How dare you bite my sandwich? I have a pretty good idea where your mouth has been.”

Quinn stepped away at that, not wanting to find out where Venus might take the conversation and not sure she wanted to see Artie’s reaction to wherever the conversation ended up. It would be worse if Vega decided to jump in. Quinn grabbed her grandmother up.

“I’ll show you the basement first,” Quinn said.

“Wait for me!” Quinn’s other grandmother, Lois Wells, rushed over to them. She put her pizza down on the nearest surface along the way.

Quinn smiled. “Nana, you better hope one of those gluttons don’t eat your pizza.”

Her grandmother chuckled. “I’m sure they need it more than I do.”

Quinn laughed some, too. She glanced around, wanting to see if Morgan wanted to join them. Morgan seemed quite content in a conversation with Yvonne and Artie’s grandmother, so Quinn left her alone. She focused her attention on her own grandmothers and tried not to split her face with her grin. They disappeared downstairs into the basement. There was nothing down there yet. But, it was a big space with beautiful hardwood floors and a laundry room.

“So, what’s the plan for down here?” Babs asked, motioning around the basement with her hand.

Quinn put her finger under her chin. “We were considering an entertainment area or a game room. While we don’t have a lot of friends, Artie does have all the sisters and they like being around us, so we can host them in a bigger space.”

“And it could be a nice play area when you have children.” Lois wiggled her eyebrows.

Quinn scoffed. “Nana.” Of course, she would be lying if the thought had not crossed her mind before they even settled on this house.

“What? I think we all know you two are going to have kids. Artie has been taking care of kids most of her life and has to want one of her own. And, you have a lot of love to give,” Lois said.

Quinn did not dispute that. There had been brief talks of kids throughout their relationship and children seemed like the next logical step now that they had the house. One day soon, she would revisit the topic with Artie and see where they were on that next step.

“You’d make good parents,” Babs added.

A hot blush burned Quinn’s face for a long moment. “Thank you,” she muttered.

Lois put her hand on Quinn’s shoulder and gave her a little squeeze. “Don’t act like you don’t know it.”

Quinn could feel the blush burning brighter. She moved the tour along before her grandmothers could elaborate on this topic. They took a lap around the basement to get a better idea of the size and then made their way upstairs, to the second floor. She showed off the guest rooms.

“And by ‘guest rooms,’ you mean where Artie’s sisters will stay?” Babs asked with a teasing smile dancing in her eyes.

Quinn shrugged. “More than likely. I mean, for now anyway. I’m sure they’ll call rooms as soon as everyone is gone.” She was not sure how long that would hold up if she and Artie did end up with children. But, then again, the twins would probably get their own places after college and Tia would be off to college soon, so it might not end up being much of a problem.

“This office space is nice,” Lois said, poking her head into Quinn’s office. It was the smallest of the upstairs rooms. It had enough space for her desk, her single bookshelf, and more now. She could not wait to fill it with materials and references.

Quinn bounced on her heels. “Artie made sure my office was up and running right after our bedroom. She was so insistent on it.”

Babs rubbed her shoulder. “You got yourself a good one, sweetie. She wants to take care of you and make your dreams come true, which is another reason why I know you’re going to have kids.”

Another blush rushed onto Quinn’s face. She looked forward to having a family with Artie, but she did not want to think about it right now.

She moved them along. They got to see the master bedroom and the bathrooms before returning to the main floor. As soon as she was done with her grandmothers, her grandfathers wanted to see the place. Morgan was nowhere to be found, possibly wandering the house on her own or with Artie and Yvonne. Quinn shrugged it off, happy her best friend got along with her spouse and somewhat sister-in-law so well. While she was showing them, various members of the pantheon popped up in different rooms, wanting to see things for themselves. 

“These are some energetic girls,” Cliff said as Juno dashed by him to run down the stairs. He stood by the stairs with Quinn and Roger by the wall.

Quinn sighed. “That’s one way to put it.” She shook her head. “So, what do you think?”

“I think I’m happy I had money to put toward this with you,” Roger replied, leaning over to hit Cliff on his elbow.

Cliff nodded. “It’s always a good thing to invest in Quinn.”

Quinn smiled and gave both of her grandfathers hugs. “Thank you for helping me so much.”

“Someone should be there for you. You’re extraordinary and it’s a pleasure to help you shine even more,” Roger said. 

“Papa.” Quinn could not even look him in the eye now after such high praise. She would never get used to them complimenting her so much, even though they had done it her whole life. It was only recently other people seemed to agree with them.

“Come on, let’s go let Artie show off her TV,” Cliff said.

They laughed, but Artie was dying to let everyone see how amazing their television was. Artie had plans to have football parties one day, which was another reason why they considered turning the basement into an entertainment area. Funny enough, when they went to see the television, Artie was busy showing off the backyard. Quinn’s grandfathers joined. Quinn stepped out to see her grandmothers and Morgan marveling over the space. 

“I expect you to host the cookouts from now on,” Mahmoud said to Artie, who grinned. They all knew that would be no great burden.

-8-8-8-8-

“All right, are we ready for the movie?” Artie announced as she saw Quinn step outside. She was ready to go in, after displaying the size of their yard. It was time to show off the one thing she splurged on — the television. She had saved for a new TV as soon as they started looking for houses. Still, she had to wait for a sale, but she was pleased with what she paid and pleased with the product.

“Movie! Movie! Movie!” her sisters chanted.

Vega groaned. “The worst cult leader ever.”

Artie chuckled, but ignored her best friend. She ushered everyone to the middle of the living room as best she could and then turned her attention to the television. It was not the biggest television, sixty-five inches, but it was the biggest she ever owned. The picture quality was beyond anything she or her sisters were used. She hooked up the sound, so there was surround sound with good speakers. She turned the television on as Quinn turned off the lights.

“Whoa, this picture is insane!” Tia said as the movie started.

“Wow,” Diana muttered in awe and that was probably the best compliment Artie could get on the television from her sisters.

Artie grinned as she took a seat next to Quinn. The plan was to watch the movie, but more than half of the people there talked through it, Artie included. No one seemed bothered by it, not even Quinn’s grandparents, who were around them all the least, but probably still expected it. It was a nice, relaxed atmosphere, just a normal, comfortable family gathering.

As the night went on, Quinn’s grandparents left. Artie’s mother and grandparents followed soon after, as did Vega’s father. Everyone else seemed to be staying for night. Artie got blankets and the few pillows they had. 

“What movie are we watching now?” Diana asked.

“First, there have to be showers and pajamas and then we’ll work it out,” Artie replied.

Of course, this was a long process, but they were all used it, except poor Morgan. They let her go first, but Artie doubted that would help much. Morgan would have to wait for everyone else before they settled on a movie. But, at least she would not have to worry about running out of hot water.

“I forgot you poor souls have this down to a science,” Vega said as she and Yvonne waited for their turn to use the bathroom. Artie was sort of directing traffic for her sisters.

“I think it works best now that we have more than one bathroom,” Artie replied. Two and a half baths was more than enough for her, seemed like a luxury, almost decedent. She loved it.

“That was a horror. I hated staying at your house for that.” Vega shuddered, undoubtedly having flashbacks to terrible mornings with a single shared bathroom. It did not help that it was tiny, like everything about Anna’s house.

“You’re just a brat.” Yvonne pinched Vega in the side and then leaned against her.

Vega snorted. “I’m sorry my father never saw fit on having half a dozen more kids or people living in our house.”

“Brat,” Artie and Yvonne said together.

Vega flipped them off, which Artie returned. Yvonne pinched her in the side again. Artie turned away from them as Aphrodite came out of her bedroom from using the half-bath in there. She waved Venus over from the linen closet and directed Venus to the en-suite.

It was a process, but once everyone was in their pajamas, they were all back in the living room. Everyone picked a spot and a blanket. Again, being kind hostesses, they all let Morgan have part of the sectional sofa to herself. The other part Vega occupied with Yvonne.

“You know the only reason we let you have the couch is because of Tega, right?” Aphrodite said as she and Venus made themselves comfortable below Vega and Yvonne on the floor.

“Hey, don’t think you’re too old for me to break in half,” Vega replied, leaning over to pop Aphrodite on the forehead. Her sisters all laughed at her. 

“Yeah, you watch it over there. Vega is fully aware any kind gestures that come her way are because of Tega, but you’re not allowed to point that out. You know better,” Artie reminded her sisters. Vega’s relationship with her sisters was as weird as her relationship with them. Because Vega was her friend and she was sort of a dad to her sisters, they sometimes looked at Vega as an “uncle.” They never really said it aloud, but she was still an authoritative presence in their lives.

“Can someone pass the chips?” Tia asked. 

“The movie hasn’t even started yet. You’re going to eat all the chips before we even get to the movie?” Juno countered.

“She says as she’s hoarding the _Ruffles_ ,” Aphrodite replied as Juno tucked a huge bag of _Ruffles_ chips close to her body. 

“We shouldn’t even have this many chips.” Quinn frowned.

“It’s for a good cause. You guys haven’t had a housewarming before. We need to celebrate,” Venus replied as she opened the _Doritos_.

Artie did not say anything. She gathered her wife up in her arms and tugged their blanket around them. Quinn cuddled into her and forgot they were serving the pantheon gobs of junk food for the night. Artie typically was not in fair of giving them too much junk food either and she knew this attitude rubbed off on Quinn, but it was a special occasion. 

Artie could not focus on the movie when they finally started it. Diana came to cuddle on her free side and she wiggled and wiggled and wiggled. Artie put her arm around Diana and yanked her close. Diana looked up at her with a scowl.

“Hey, you don’t look at me like that.” Artie poked Diana’s bottom lip. 

Diana snickered and turned her attention to the movie. Artie thought she might be able to do the same, but then next thing she knew Juno squeezed in between her and Quinn. It did not help when Tia leaned into Quinn. Artie was pressed from all sides.

“Crumbles, guys,” Artie chided her sisters as they passed chips over her.

They ignored her and Quinn shot her a smile, as if telling her to stop trying. Artie sighed and turned her attention to the movie. It was hard to focus, as Juno dug her elbow into Artie’s hip. Artie tried to move away, but Diana would not let her. She was trapped. She surrendered. It was amazing.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Artie and Quinn attend a work function for Quinn and run into the last person they want to think about.


	19. Learn Something New

19: Learn Something New

Artie tried not mess with her tie as she and Quinn walked into an inter-office gathering held by the company Quinn worked for. The smell of baked goods with a hint of desperation Artie felt clung to all office parties wafted to them as soon as they entered the room. It did not take Artie’s mind off of her tie. Artie felt like the tie was crooked, but Quinn insisted it was fine and she feared Quinn might snap if she touched it again. Maybe it was more that she disliked the tie than the fact that it was crooked. Quinn loved the tie, which was why she wore it, but she felt like she had a dozen ties much more fashionable.

“Why did you ask me to wear this tie?” Artie grumbled as they stepped into the hall. There were people all standing around, some near a buffet. She would head there as soon as she could and see what they had.

“Because it goes with the suit and it’s cute. How can you not think this is cute?” Quinn ran her finger down the edge of the tie.

Artie rolled her eyes. “You know it doesn’t line up right.”

“It’s all in your head. You just don’t like it because of the kitten.”

With a chuckle, Artie smirked. “Well, it does take away from my badass-ness.”

Quinn tucked herself in close to Artie’s side, as if that made everything better. Well, she was not wrong. “I love how you think you’re a badass, but you don’t realize I like this tie because the kitten reminds me of you.”

Artie pouted and Quinn snickered, leaning in to give her a kiss. Artie continued to pout until they were approached by a few of Quinn’s coworkers. Artie was familiar with them, having been to several office gathering with Quinn. This was much larger than any of them, though.

“How many different offices to you guys have here?” Artie asked with a furrowed brow.

“It’s actually a bunch of clients here. We’re mingling with them for a while and then there will be a presentation to remind them why we’re awesome as well as pitch several new ideas to them,” Raquel replied. She worked in the department of Human Resources with Quinn, but her husband, Ryan, who was by her side, was one of the higher-ups in the distribution company. Artie was not sure what he did, though. Quinn once made it seem like he was the reason she was able to write the instruction manuals for the few devices the company had come up with to make shipping easier for people and companies alike, but she had not gone into real detail.

Artie nodded, even though she did not get it much. Business was not her forte and she came to these things for Quinn, who came with the hope of moving up in the company. Even though Quinn had dreams of being a best-selling author, she was very much in favor of keeping a day job. It was one of the reasons they were able to afford their house.

“So, Quinn, you two going to work your magic on the room?” Ryan grinned at them.

Quinn smirked back. “Is that a request?”

If Artie were not used to these things, she would think Ryan and Quinn were flirting. Also, if Raquel showed any sign other than boredom, but again, thanks to workplace stories, Artie knew this was their norm. So, she stood there and listened, wanting to be on point if she got included in whatever scheme they might concoct. Quinn very much enjoyed letting her charm people at office parties.

Ryan shrugged. “I’ll just say whenever you two talk to people, they always walk away feeling really good about our employees or our company. Also, never let them know Artie doesn’t work for us.”

Quinn laughed and Artie grinned. They went to mingle and work the room. Eventually, they drifted apart, which did not bother either of them. Artie was able to have her way with the buffet. She checked everything out and decided to make camp right there for a little while.

“Artie, do you come to these things just because we know where to get the best buffalo wings in town?” Dion White asked as he saddled over with a teasing sparkle in his eyes. He was kind of her work-friend, but at Quinn’s work. They met at the first office party she attended and bonded over, of all things, an arm-wrestling competition. There had been way too much alcohol back then, as the company celebrated winning a huge account. Dion had already been engaged in arm-wrestling and several drunken revealers pointed Artie in his direction.

“I know at least four places that serve way better wings than this.” Her argument might have been better if she did not have a plate full of wings in her hand at the moment.

He scoffed, throwing his head to the side a little and putting his hands in his jacket pockets briefly. “Then why do we always see you here? You actually work here, don’t you? You handle international shipping? I’ve had stores in London complaining about you not getting all their products in.”

Artie laughed. “You are so annoying.”

“I can’t believe Quinn got you to come to this one. I mean, at least the other parties, you know you’re hanging out with us. This party is actually work for us. Quinn going to force you to sit through the presentation and prep talk, too?”

“Well, she is my ride.”

He laughed. “Funny, I always thought you were the ride in your relationship.”

Artie groaned. “Oh, my god, have I mentioned you’re annoying? If this is work, can I report you for sexual harassment? Where the hell is Quinn?” She made a show of scanning the room and caught sight of something very strange. She thought she saw someone she knew, but not someone who worked for the company.

“You’re gonna report me to HR? I thought you were cool, Artie. This is just guy talk.” Dion was cracking himself up at this point.

Artie shook her head. “Something is wrong with you.” She chuckled a bit, but her eyes drifted again. “I need to go check something out. I’ll see you later. Don’t eat all the wings or HR will be the least of your concerns.”

“Bro, you already know I can take you down. And, if not me, I’ve got Heather at the ready to stab you in the kidneys once you’re standing over me in victory.”

Artie walked away laughing. “You didn’t beat me at arm wrestling and Heather practically threw herself in my lap then before Quinn made it very clear I was off the market.”

“You cheated at arm wrestling!” he shouted after her.

Artie snorted, but did not take the bait. She ate a couple of her wings as she circled around this familiar figure. For a long moment, she could not figure out who he was and then she realized what was so familiar about him. He looked like Quinn. It was Quinn’s brother. He was here, at this party, possibly representing a client of Quinn’s company or maybe even a client of Quinn’s company. It had been years since Quinn had any contact with her family and Artie did not want it get to sprung on her like that.

“Hey, Marty, have you seen Quinn?” Artie asked, going up to Quinn’s coworker who was unoccupied.

“The last I saw she was dazzling some client like she was damn sales rep. I really think Jacob hired her for the wrong position,” Marty replied.

Artie shrugged. Jacob, one of the bosses, knew what he was doing. Quinn liked working in human resources and could handle plenty of situations between office personnel to avoid any big blow-ups. She was good at her reports and it gave her time to work on her own writing. But, that did not matter at the moment. What did matter was finding her wife.

The hall was way too big and it was like a maze with people as the walls. It was shifting and adjusting around her. She never got her bearings together, going from person to person, asking if they saw Quinn. Every now and then, someone pointed her in a direction and she moved there. Eventually, she came across Quinn.

“Hey, babe.” Artie attached herself to Quinn’s side.

“Oh, hey.” Quinn smiled. “I was just talking about you.”

Artie’s brow furrowed to the point she could feel her hair shift. “Talking about me?”

“Yeah, you made quite an impression on Rob here.” Quinn motioned to the gentleman she was engaged in a conversation with.

Artie turned to see a middle-aged man. Well, maybe a little older than middle-aged, but he took care of himself. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she could not place his face. He chuckled and shook his head.

“You don’t remember me, do you?” he asked.

“I’m sorry. I can’t quite place you,” Artie replied.

“No need to be sorry. I have to admit I’m not as memorable as you are. We met once at the Matherson house. You were telling me about your workout regime.”

“I do that with a lot of people, but yeah, now I remember.” The one time she went to a gathering at Matherson house before they disowned Quinn, they were entertaining people for Quinn’s dad’s company. She had managed to strike up a conversation with a big wig while many of the other people were wondering if she was a pre-op or post-op transperson. He was rather kind to her and did not even mention it.

“I was just asking Quinn if she was still with you,” he said.

Artie nodded. “Yeah, I put a ring on it.”

He chuckled. “That’s what you do when you find The One.”

Quinn shook her head. “Please, don’t encourage her.”

Rob smiled. “She makes it easy.”

“Wait, I thought you were high up in the company. Why are you coming to a party thrown by your distributors?” Artie scratched the end of her nose. Quinn discreetly elbowed her in the side. She grunted, but swallowed the sound before it made it all the way out. That rib would sting for a while.

“I like to mingle with people and I talk to the distributors personally at the end of things like this. I just want to make sure everything is running smoothly,” he replied.

Artie glanced down at Quinn, but decided to ask her question anyway. “Isn’t that micromanaging?”

“Some, but I’m also showing Ronald the ropes. He’ll be assuming this responsibility soon.”

Quinn tensed at her side and Artie frowned. So, not only was Quinn’s brother on the premises, but her father was as well. Artie was not sure what Quinn would like to do in this situation. She kept her cool and pressed Quinn closer to her.

“So, Ronald still works for you?” Artie asked, silently congratulating herself for sounding normal.

“He’s been a valued employee for many years and he’s ready to step up, sit in a big chair in a big office. Have you seen him?” Rob focused on Quinn.

“No, I haven’t. I wasn’t aware he was here,” Quinn replied, eyes darting about the room now.

“No? I’m surprised you two didn’t connect earlier,” Rob said. Apparently, Quinn’s father did not spread it around that he threw out his youngest child.

Artie felt like it was time to get out of this conversation before Rob crossed a line he did not know existed. “I’m sorry. I came over because I needed to borrow Quinn for just a second. She has a friend who does a lot of traveling for the company and they don’t get to see each other often and I told him I’d bring her right over.”

Rob smiled. “That’s fine. I’m sure we’ll get a chance to talk again.”

Artie grinned in return. She hoped that was true. Now that she remembered Rob, she liked talking to him before. For now, she led Quinn away, making their way to a quiet corner. Quinn leaned against the wall and put her hands over her face.

Quinn groaned. “Of all people, of all times. Why would my father be here?”

“You didn’t know this company did distribution for his company?” Artie asked.

“No! I don’t know what companies they do that for. I work in human resources for crying out loud. What the hell are the odds of that?” Quinn dropped her hands and stared at her with big, wet eyes.

Artie pulled Quinn into a hug. “I don’t know, but it’ll be all right. You don’t have to talk to them or interact with them.”

Quinn blinked and pulled back a little. “What do you mean ‘them’?”

“Oh, I came to find you to tell you that I saw your brother. So, your father is here with your brother.”

Quinn’s hands went back over her face and she groaned louder. “That’s just fucking great.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to interact with them and they’ll probably be on their best behavior. This is a business thing, after all.” She hoped they would be on their best behavior. Maybe she should stay out of their line of sight, just in case. Quinn’s company and coworkers were very cool with her and her gender fluidity, but that might go out of the window if a client expressed a problem with it.

Quinn blew out a breath as she dropped her hands again. “I don’t want to deal with them. I just wanted to go out, enjoy some time with you and the coworkers I don’t want to stab in the face with a coat hanger. Now, I have to walk around with this pressure of running into my father, who thinks something’s wrong with me because I love you. Wouldn’t there be something wrong with me if I didn’t love you?”

Artie smiled. “I think there would be something wrong with you if you didn’t love the pantheon and I know you do love them.”

Quinn’s body relaxed a little. “How could I not? I just don’t want to deal with someone trying to make it seem like I’m wrong for loving you, especially when I know that’s bullshit. And I don’t want to deal with the bullshit of them making fun of you like there’s something wrong with you.”

“Then, don’t put up with the bullshit. You don’t have to interact with them. If you see them, just turn and go the other way. You’re human resources. You don’t have to interact with clients. Do you want me to stick around? I could keep look out.” Artie thought it might be good to have two sets of eyes watching for the Ronalds to make sure they did not spew their hatred in Quinn’s direction, but she was not sure if she was the best person to be around because Ronald or his boy spawn would definitely start up if they saw Artie first.

Quinn nodded. “You’re right. You’re right. I don’t need to bother with them. I will not let them ruin this for me. I like these parties and I like you and I like these parties with you.”

Artie squeezed her around the middle. “Then, yeah, let’s go enjoy this.”

“And you don’t need to stick around with me. I know I have a few coworkers you like to hang out with at these things.”

“Okay.” Artie would go hang out with some people, but she would keep an eye on Quinn. She did not want to hover, which would piss Quinn off, but she wanted to be close by if Quinn needed support. She hugged Quinn for a little while longer and then they rejoined the party.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn could not believe she might see her father and brother after years of silence from them. She had not tried to reach out after her father kicked her out of the house for dating Artie. She did not see the point, not after witnessing how they cleared out her bedroom barely a week after disowning her. She never really felt like she was part of the Matherson family. It felt like she was phantom there, doomed to hover in the house and never be a part of anything, but now she felt like she was the one who was haunted.

Now aware of her father and brother, Quinn found herself distracted, scanning the crowd for them every few seconds. She did not know why and she tried to focus on people in front of her to stop. It did not work. But, for all of her searching, she was caught by surprise.

Quinn squeaked as she turned around, about to go to the presentation. “Dad!” Standing before her was her father, Ronald Matherson senior. Five years after disowning her and never contacting her, her father was eye to eye with her, looking the same as he did on that Christmas Eve when he told her to never come back.

“Quinn,” his voice was softer than she could ever remember. And, upon closer inspection, he did not look exactly the same as before. His eyes were not hard or burning with embarrassment and hatred.

“Uh…” Quinn was not sure what to call him. Her initial reaction was from shock. She had not had to think about him in years and she had not done so. He had never been particularly kind to her and she never felt wanted by him. “Hi.” She had to say something, right?

He was silent for a long moment and she was about to make her escape when he spoke up. “How have you been?”

Quinn shrugged. “Fine. You?” Was there some place she could get away to? This was beyond awkward and her stomach twisted, threatening to spew every bit of food and drink she had onto the floor.

“Well.”

“We should get inside to the presentation.” She did not want to stick around and pretend to have a conversation with him.

“No, wait.” He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. “How have you been, really?”

“Now is not the time for this.” There never would be a time for this. She never wanted to do this again if possible.

He gave her a wobbly smile and chuckled. “Yeah, but we both know we’ll never actually make time after this. Tell me how you’ve really been.”

Quinn frowned so deep she was not sure she would ever be able to smile again. “Fine. I have a family who appreciates me. A spouse who supports me enough to come to office parties she doesn’t need to and makes friends with my coworkers just because they work with me. We’re building a family. What about you? Turn my old room back into that office you wanted so much?”

“No,” he said quickly, like he needed her to know.

Quinn blinked. Her room had been on that road when she went to pick up her stuff up. She would have thought he erased her existence the moment he kicked her out. It did not make any sense for him not to.

“Why not?” Quinn asked.

He frowned and looked around. “Would you mind if we…” He motioned away from the crowd filtering in for the presentation.

Quinn felt like she should ignore him and go find her spouse, but she nodded instead. She should be over him, over her parents, over her past life, but she was curious. Why was it this man who made her feel superfluous her whole life had not purged her from his life the second he could have? He wasted no time throwing her things out after kicking her out for being with Artie. What caused him to pause afterward? The room was his again, like it had been before she was born. Everything could be the way it was supposed to be for them, so why had he not gone through with it?

They ended up at the far end of the party. There was no one there, just them and the remaining food. For a long moment, they stared at each other. Quinn wrapped her arms around herself, wishing Artie was there for support, especially as her stomach churned more than ever before. Every bit of body hair she had stood on end and her skin itched, like she was allergic to him. Even though she had not thought about this man for years, she did not like sharing space with him. Never really had, but it was worse to know he was the type of person to judge someone over their sexuality, or in Artie’s case, over their gender.

“So, I’m guess you need to say something,” Quinn said, hoping the curt words would get things moving.

“When I cleared out your bedroom… I found a journal you kept,” he replied.

Quinn shrugged. “I’ve been a writer since I could write. I have plenty of journals.” Not to say they were not special, but she had dozens. Artie recently bought her a trunk to keep the old ones in and built her a shelf to keep more recent ones. What could one of her younger brain farts say to suddenly change her father’s mind about her?

“I happened to read just one page on the day I found it. You were just talking about how I got a promotion at work and how smart you thought I was.” He smiled a little. “I never thought about it, how it would look to you kids when I did well at work, but I chuckled when I saw it. You were probably like seven when it happened.”

“Okay, and?”

“Then, one day, when I was feeling like an idiot because something went wrong at work, I remembered your journal and picked it up, wanting to make myself feel better by remembering this little kid thought I was so great. But, I didn’t stop at the one sentence this time. I read the whole damn thing.”

Quinn still was not sure what was so life-changing. Her journal, while undoubtedly documenting times when her father amazed her, also held the times her family made her feel like she was three inches tall, when she was only seven years old. Why should any of that change how he saw her?

“You… you were…” He shook his head. “I guess I never realized how you saw it all. How we hurt you. Then, I saw Artie on TV with you and how she adores you and…” He shook his head again.

Quinn was not sure where he was going with this, but it was a bit jarring. There was something sincere in him. “Okay, who are you and what did you do with Ronald?”

He sighed and gave her a sad smile. “I’m not a hard-hearted man, Quinn, but I’ve been hard on you. I’ve come across as hard, trying to get to my dreams. I wanted the best for me and for my family.”

“Except for me,” Quinn replied. She did not count as family. She was an annoyance at best, a roadblock to his dreams, to his family’s dreams.

With a sigh, he nodded. “Except for you. I know you figured out a long time ago we didn’t plan for you. We had a boy and a girl, the picture perfect family. You came from laziness on my part putting off a vasectomy.”

Quinn flinched and her throat burned with vomit that she swallowed back down. It hurt to hear she was a mistake, even though she always suspected. But, she would not show him how much he got to her. Taking a controlled breath, she fixed her face as best she could to be blank. “Is that what you wanted to tell me?” She could not believe she had enough strength to keep a wobble out of her voice.

He shook his head and sniffled. “No, I wanted to tell you sorry. I’m sorry I made you feel like you were a mistake. This is what I realized as I read your journal, you fit our family and we never made you feel like you did. You fit.”

“No.” She did not want to fit that family, a family of jackasses.

He bowed his head, as if he understood her objection. “Well, I mean on the surface.”

She scowled and glared at him. “But, what does any of this matter? You make it sound like you miss me.” Which was utter nonsense. It was like missing a boil.

He blew out a breath and rubbed the back of his head. “I think I did. I think I do. Sometimes, I go stand at your room door and imagine you in there. I wished I had took time out of my life to just one day stand at the door and watch you work, as a kid, as a teen, at some point. This is going to sound bad, but I treated you like a hangnail that never went away, but when you finally did, I realized you were more like my pinkie toe. I took you for granted until you were gone and I’ve been walking funny ever since.”

Quinn hated the metaphor made her laugh. “You’re awful.”

A wobbly smile conquered his face for a moment. “I thought the writer in you would appreciate that.”

“I hate that I did.”

“I bought your book.”

“You mean Artie’s book.” Yes, her name was on it and she wrote it, but it was Artie’s mind going.

He nodded and a light blush rushed through his cheeks. “You wrote it.”

“I wrote it because her first draft read like a research paper for research people. She wanted the average person to be able to read it and she felt I could help with that.”

He scoffed. “It doesn’t matter to me. You wrote it. I bought it. I read it. I don’t get her, but you explained everything well. I can kinda understand it. Anyway, I didn’t realize when you were there how we screwed you up and took you for granted.”

“Okay, really, who are you and what have you done with my father?” Quinn meant that way more now than she did when she asked the question a moment ago. It was not a taunt or her trying to lighten the mood. She did not understand any of this. Her father was an ass, but the man before her was not the same ass. Her father was not a man who would apologize or have a heart to heart or even talk to her like she was a person. So, yeah, who was this guy?

He laughed a little, but it sounded so much like a sob that it went through her and cracked bits of her heart. “Kid… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t feel that way. You shouldn’t feel like this.” He went into his bag, a leather satchel at his side, and pulled out a small book.

Quinn flinched. “You’re carrying around my journal?”

“I keep it with me. I still read it from time to time. I have favorite parts. It’s very bitter sweet.” He took a deep breath. “Look, Quinn, over the years, I’ve really realized what an amazing person you are and I’m sorry I never got a chance to experience that before.”

Quinn still could not figure out what this was and then it hit her. This man, who was always about how he looked, even thought about it through his children. He always bragged about RJ and his sports and Veronica with her piano. Now, she was on television and she had written a best selling book with her spouse. Now, he cared. It was the only thing that made sense.

“You know I’m not famous or anything, right?” Quinn asked. Yes, Artie was on a talk show and, yes, she was there, but it would not get her recognized on the street.

“This has nothing to do with famous,” he replied.

She squared her shoulders and frowned. “Doesn’t it, though? All of a sudden I’m worthy to be your kid because you saw me on TV and I helped write a book? Did you know I wrote my own book? It’s selling pretty well.” Was she bragging? She did not feel like it. She wanted to prove him wrong. Her book was not the one on TV, so he probably did not know about it.

He smiled a little. “Yeah, I know. I read that, too. I am proud of your accomplishments, just as much as your brother and sister. I’m sorry it took me this long to realize that.” He shook his head. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in. How about this…” He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and handed her his card. “I know it seems informal, but it’ll take any pressure off you might feel. Call me sometime, if you want.”

She accepted the card and stared at it for a long time. He gave her a shrug and a wave and was gone. The world felt like it tilted and she needed to sit down before she fell down. She parked herself on a nearby bench where Artie found her some time later.

“You okay here, love?” Artie asked, putting an arm around her shoulders. She wasted no time cuddling into Artie’s body.

“I think I need to go home,” Quinn replied.

“Then, I’ll take you home and we’ll go from there.” Artie stood and helped Quinn to her feet. Quinn was not sure how they got out of there, but Artie did. Artie always came through for her.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn has to discuss this encounter with people who might give her more insight.


	20. Play Some Games

20: Play Some Games

Artie stared at the bedroom ceiling in the dark with her arms around Quinn. Quinn was pressed against her chest, arms around her waist. She waited for what she knew was coming. Quinn was shaken from her encounter with her father earlier that evening. She had played with a business card the whole ride home and Artie could guess whose it was.

“It’s so weird,” Quinn said, finger flicking the bottom of Artie’s t-shirt.

“What happened that’s so weird?” Artie asked.

Quinn took a deep breath and shook her head. “It seemed like he was… I dunno… sincere. Like he really missed me.”

“Well, if you vanished from my life for four years, I’d miss the hell out of you, too.” She wished she could say the same about Ronald, but he never seemed to make any effort to reach out to Quinn. She would not say that at the moment, though, not wanting to make things worse.

Quinn snickered. “Well, that’s different. I nag you, so of course you’d miss me as you make bad decision after bad decision without me.”

Artie smiled and gave Quinn a little squeeze around her shoulders. “I make pretty bad decisions with you, but it’s mostly because I know you’ll clean up after me. Does it bother you that your father seemed to sincerely miss you?”

“I wouldn’t say it bothers me. I just don’t know what to do with it.”

“Don’t rush your decision.” She did not want Quinn to do something that might lead to her getting hurt.

Quinn shook her head. “I’m not. If he really missed me, he could’ve sent word through my grandparents and asked them to see I’d call him. Instead, he waits until we see each other by accident. I mean, it was weird he was carrying around my journal and everything, but I’m not sure he was as sincere as he liked to pretend.”

“He had your what?” Maybe she misheard. Why would Quinn’s father be walking around with one her journals?

“One of my journals. He said he found it when they were cleaning my room out. He seemed shocked that a seven-year-old me admired him on occasion. Of course, that was short lived.”

Artie stroked her head, playing with Quinn’s long tresses. “Do you think he was serious?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe I should talk to my papa and grandma and see what they think.”

“That sounds good.” Was Quinn bothered by her father because she was missing family or troubled by how her family cut her loose so easily? Artie was not sure and she was not sure if Quinn would be able to explain it right now.

“Hopefully, they can help me to make sense of this.”

“I’m sure they’ll try.” Artie leaned down and kissed Quinn’s forehead. Quinn sighed and cuddled into her. Quinn fell asleep not soon after. Artie watched the ceiling for a little while longer, hoping this worked out for her wife.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn had to call her grandparents the next day. She did not want to give this thing with her father a chance to fester. She did not want to give it a chance to mess with her mind. She had not let her father or her family have that sort of power over her for years. She would not let it start all over again and make her feel less than or unworthy. So, as soon as she got in from work, she made the phone call.

“Hey, Quinn, how’s it going?” her grandfather asked as soon as he answered the phone.

“It’s fine, Papa. I wanted to talk to you and Grandma about something,” Quinn replied as she moved about the kitchen. Artie would be at the gym for a while and Tia might pop over after practice, so dinner should be ready for them when they got in, as they were always ravenous after those activities.

“Let me get your grandmother.” Quinn could hear her grandfather moving about the house for a few seconds. “Okay, we’re both here now.”

Quinn smiled. “Hi, Grandma.” She pulled items out of the refrigerator.

“Hey, Quinn. Now, what’s troubling you where you need to speak to both of us? You wrote a new book and need our help to hide who the killer is from Artie?” her grandmother asked.

Quinn snickered. “No, but thanks for your help before.” The only reason she had been able to write a book where Artie could not figure out who the murderer was was because her grandparents helped her out. Artie knew her way of thinking too well for her fool Artie on her own.

“Anytime. So, what’s up?” her grandfather asked.

“I ran into Dad last night…” She was not too sure what to say after that and hoped her grandparents would be able to fill in the blanks.

“He didn’t say anything rude to you, did he, pumpkin? He always puts his foot in his mouth, but he misses you,” her grandmother said.

Quinn gasped. “He does?” It was news to her, even though he implied it. Her grandparents never said anything. This was enough to make her pause. Dinner would have to wait.

“I can’t believe we raised such an idiot sometimes, you know? He asks about you every now and then, more so than he ever did when you lived there or when you were off at college,” Babs replied.

“He made it sound like he missed me, even though he didn’t say it. He sort of explained he knows he didn’t treat me right,” Quinn said.

Roger scoffed. “Oh, now he knows. He _is_ an idiot.”

“Again, I can’t believe we raised that idiot. Our other kids aren’t that stupid,” her grandmother said.

“Or hateful,” Roger added.

“He was carrying around an old journal from me and he really made it sound like he wanted something from me,” Quinn replied. She leaned against the counter, pressing her head on the edge of the top cabinets, hoping the cool wood would soothe her. No such luck.

“He probably wants to get to know you now. You’re successful and he had a hand in making you,” her grandfather said, which was what she suspected.

“I did get that vibe, too, but he claimed that wasn’t it. I mean, I’m sure RJ and Veronica are successful enough for him.” Quinn turned, so she could rest her back against the counter.

“Well, I don’t know how if he thinks that entirely, but I don’t want to badmouth your siblings to you,” Roger continued.

Quinn’s brow furrowed. “What happened with them? Are they okay?” They were not the best of siblings, but she did not wish harm on them.

“They’re fine. Just not the amazing successes your parents thought they would be. RJ got a divorce and lost custody of his two kids.”

Quinn’s mouth dropped open. “He has two kids?” She was an aunt. An aunt to two children she had never met, did not know existed until this very moment. Her heart cracked in two at the thought.

“He does. His son, Ronald the third, but I call him Ronnie and he’s two. Right before the divorce went through his now ex-wife gave birth to another son. He’s six months now. Adorable little Lance.” Babs gushed through the phone.

Quinn did not understand. Even with RJ going through a divorce, her father had grandkids to focus on. He did not need to miss her.

“Why does he suddenly care about me?” Quinn accidentally spoke the thought aloud.

“I’m hoping it’s not sudden and his dumb ass just realized you’re his daughter and he loves you,” her grandfather said.

Quinn gasped. “Papa!” She could not believe her grandfather swore.

“What? He’s a dumb ass. If he only loves you now because you’ve written two books, then he’s a dumb ass and you need to stay away from him like you’ve been doing. I mean, I love him. He’s my son, but I never liked the way he treated you,” her grandfather said.

“You noticed?” It never occurred to her that someone actually noticed she was the unfavorite of her parents.

“A blind man could see that! Do you know how many times we’ve spoken to him about it? We used to have board meetings about it with Lois and Cliff. We’d all sit down with your parents and point out how glaringly obvious it was they were leaving you out. It went nowhere. It was infuriating,” her grandfather said.

“If you knew how many times I wished I could just put him over my knee,” her grandmother added.

“Is that why you supported me through everything?” Quinn asked.

“We support you because we love you, just like we love all our grandchildren. We make sure you get a little extra love, though,” Babs replied.

Quinn sighed. She was glad they cared enough to recognize that and give her what she needed. “Thank you. Everything I am is possible because of you guys.”

“No, everything you are is possible because of you. Don’t try to give us credit for it. You’re amazing and you don’t let your father steal your joy. We’ll find out if he’s serious about trying to get to know you again, but you don’t let that bother you,” her grandmother said.

“I won’t,” Quinn said.

“You just live your life, Quinn. You have something wonderful. A spouse who is there for you through everything, who shared her family with you. You’re starting this new journey with your writing and you’ve got plenty more books in you. You’ve got your dream home and we know it’s only a matter of time before you talk Artie into having a child,” her grandfather said.

Quinn felt a flush burn her cheeks. “Papa!”

“Oh, don’t sound so scandalized. What do you think comes after you buy a house together? I’m just glad you both realized you should get a house first,” her grandfather said.

“Roger, you do realize they got the house because of Artie’s sisters, right? They live part-time with Artie and Quinn,” her grandmother pointed out.

He scoffed. “Oh, please. I’m sure they would’ve all been fine with coming and going out of that tiny apartment. It’s been working for the past couple of years. Why stop now? Oh, maybe because the family needs to grow. Artie is on the late side of twenty now.”

“I’m going to hang up right now,” Quinn said. She did not want to hear where her grandfather was going about her having a family with Artie or him making fun of Artie’s age.

“All right. We’ll talk to your father for you and try to figure out where his head is,” her grandmother said.

“Thank you. Love you. Bye.” The called ended after her grandparents said the same.

Quinn put the phone down and focused on making dinner. She made some barbecue chicken, rice, and green beans. While that was cooking, she took a shower and returned to the kitchen to find the entire pantheon along with Yvonne and Vega setting up in the living room.

Quinn squinted, trying to piece together what she was seeing. “What’s going on?”

“Family game night!” Juno held up a board game.

“And then camping… if we can get this tent up,” Aphrodite replied and scowled at the lopsided tent she and Venus appeared to be in charge of.

“Camping in the living room?” Quinn scratched her head. She had seen the sisters camp out in the living room before. It never involved an actual tent.

“We’re trying something new since we have the space. The plan is, if the tents are comfortable, then the twins will use them when they come to stay over, setting up in the basement. This way, they won’t be involved in fighting over a room,” Artie explained.

Quinn nodded. That sounded like a good idea. She wondered if it would work with Tia, too. That way Juno and Diana could get a feel for what it would be like to have their own rooms, if only for a little while. The only one out of the group who knew what it was like to have her own room was Tia. Diana and Juno got to have their own rooms while the twins were away, but Diana slept in the twins’ room and was not allowed to move anything or add anything because it was still theirs. Not that any of that mattered right now.

“Well, I made dinner,” Quinn said, motioning to the kitchen. She hoped they had not ordered out.

“We smelled it and kept everybody from bothering you about it. We can eat and play games and watch a movie and chill out,” Artie replied.

Quinn did not argue. It all sounded like a good thing. “How are the twins getting to school tomorrow?”

Yvonne raised her hand. “I’ve already volunteered for that drive.”

It sounded like they had things worked out. Artie would undoubtedly take the younger sisters to school, as she often did when they spent the night. Everyone took the time to get into their pajamas, started a game, which was paused for dinner, and then resumed when everyone ate. They played a couple of board games and it was dangerous as always. The sisters and Vega were all competitive and it seemed to get worse as they got older.

“Dude, you’re totally cheating!” Tia pointed at Venus.

“You say that like you’re not cheating,” Venus replied.

“Yeah, but the rest of us are polite enough to not be blatant about it,” Vega chimed in.

“Well, because you guys don’t have a partner in crime.” Venus gave Aphrodite a high five. They were truly awful.

Before things devolved into an actual fight, as they sometimes did with the sisters, Yvonne threw on a movie.  The twins hunkered down in their tent. Diana had a kiddie tent she settled into. Juno and Tia had sleeping bags while the adults all had blankets. Soon, everyone was asleep, except for Quinn and Artie.

“You think you’re slick,” Quinn said to Artie, playing with Artie’s fingers.

Artie had her arm around Quinn’s waist, her hand on Quinn’s stomach. “What did I do?”

“You wanted to remind me that I have an awesome family who loves me, so you throw together family game night, which was awesome by the way.”

Artie smiled, looking angelic in the glow of the TV. “It was, wasn’t it? We should make a thing out of this.”

“Yeah, not a school night, though.”

Artie looked around. “Definitely not a school night. So, maybe twice a month on a Saturday? Or Friday night?”

“Do you think the twins will be willing to give up a Friday or Saturday? Hell, even Tia goes out with her friends sometimes those nights.”

“This is true. We’ll work it out with them. But, do you like the idea of family game night?”

Quinn sighed and curled into Artie. “You know I do.”

“Good, then shut up and go to sleep,” Vega huffed from across the living room.

“Must you ruin every damn moment?” Artie asked.

“You know I do my very best,” Vega replied.

“Yvonne,” Quinn sighed. There was no way Yvonne was asleep with Vega behaving so badly.

“Stop it,” Yvonne said and then Vega yowled. Her wife undoubtedly pinched her.

“Can everyone just go to sleep now?” Aphrodite said.

“Oh, god.” Quinn sighed and put her hand over her face. “Yes, let’s all please just go to sleep.”

“But, family game night does sound awesome,” Tia chimed in.

“Okay, no, seriously, everybody go to sleep now,” Artie ordered.

“Sorry, Dad,” the twins and Tia said, laughter coloring their voices.

Artie groaned loudly. “I don’t know any of you people.”

Quinn snickered a bit and gave a quick kiss. Family game night sounded very awesome. It would be a constant reminder how great her family was. She did not need her father and she would not let him steal her joy or throw her off her game if that was what he was trying to do. She was not sure what would become of things with her father, but she was certain things would be fine with her true family.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn teaches Artie a lesson, a sexy lesson.


	21. Live and Learn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: some lady-loving in this chapter. Also, I should have said this earlier, but if you’ve noticed less mistakes in the past couple of chapters, it’s because I have a beta! Yay!

21: Live and Learn

Quinn yawned and stretched, pulling away from her desk after spending an hour writing. She wanted to get dinner started. It was just the two of them tonight. Artie had planned to come in with takeout, but Quinn would love to cook for them right now, instead of having to worry about feeding at least five people. Marching downstairs, she found Artie hunched over the coffee table with files, folders, and papers scattered about.

“Love, maybe you should go into my office,” Quinn said, pointing upstairs.

Artie did not even put her head up. “Huh?”

“You could work up in my office.” Maybe “her” office should be “the” office.

“Why?”

“Because we’re not supposed to work in living areas. You know that,” Quinn said.

Artie shrugged. Quinn scowled and marched into the living room. She closed some of the folders. As expected, Artie let out a huff.

Quinn held up a finger. “You started this. You wanted to make sure we could relax at home, which is why I had a little corner as an office back at the apartment. You can’t just turn living space into an office. It means you’ll stress out in the house and you’re supposed to relax in the house.” She sat down, throwing herself onto Artie’s lap.

Artie grunted and shifted to hold Quinn. She put down a stack of paper and helped Quinn get comfortable. Quinn put her hands on Artie’s cheeks as Artie swung Quinn’s legs over her lap.

“I will not allow you to turn the living room into an office. This is a campground according to your sisters and that’s the only thing it should be when it stops being the living room. Now, if you have work you need to do, we have an office. We can share,” Quinn said.

Artie shook her head. “That’s your office. It’s your space.”

“We can share it. It can be _our_ office.”

“No, we should have a space in the house that’s just ours. A place for us to do our own things on our own and you’re going to let me put some gym equipment in the basement. That’s going to kick ass when we get the money for it.” Artie snickered.

Quinn kissed the end of Artie’s nose. “You’re so damn adorable. Can we maybe use a little corner in the basement for an office space?”

“I don’t need an office space. I have an office space. It even has a secretary.” Artie shrugged a bit.

Quinn rolled her eyes. “That’s at work and you’re never going to stay at work if you can be here. You want to be here, which is awesome. I mean, I want you here.”

Artie motioned to her work. “Then, just let me finish this up and I’ll really be here.”

Quinn shook her head. “You shouldn’t be doing this in the first place.”

“I know, I know, but I wanted to be home, especially since it’s just us tonight. I mean, how often is it just us?”

“Not often enough.” Of course, Quinn did not mind various members of the pantheon, usually Tia, at the house. She would like some personal time with her spouse, though. And, the one night she should have it, Artie had to bring work home. This was not good.

“Yeah, so let me finish this and then we’ll have a good night together.” Artie patted her thigh, more a signal for her to get up than any affection.

Quinn climbed to her feet. “Fine.” And she started for the kitchen, but she already had a plan to teach Artie a lesson.

Quinn made dinner as planned. It was simple, pasta with ground turkey, olives, and peppers. She poured some juice in wine glasses for them and then glanced into the living room. Artie was still working, which was good. It gave her time to go change.

Silently climbing the stairs, Quinn went to the bedroom and took off her comfy house clothes, which was Artie’s pajama pants and a t-shirt. She put on a short, maroon slip with a matching robe and returned to the ground floor to plate their dinner. She put the food on a tray and carried the tray to the living room.

“Excuse me, babe, I need some space,” Quinn said.

“Uh-huh.” Artie did not glance up as she moved some of the things out of the way, clearing a spot the coffee table.

Quinn did not say anything either. She leaned down to place the tray on the coffee table, purposely putting her ass in Artie’s face. The robe and slip did not leave anything to the imagination and she heard a choking noise escape Artie. Smirking to herself, she slowly stood and walked back to the kitchen for their wine glasses. By the time she came back, Artie’s eyes were on her.

“Dinner’s ready,” Quinn said, trying hard not to look as smug as she felt.

“I can see that. Um… you need to be dressed like that for dinner?” Artie asked. At not time did her eyes make it up to Quinn’s face.

“Well, I was hoping we could watch a movie, too. Maybe do a little cuddling, just be together in the living room.” She wanted to remind Artie what the living room was for and it had nothing to do with work. “Does that work for you?”

Artie nodded and Quinn almost lost control of her face. Taking a moment, she inhaled as softly as she could. It did not matter since Artie’s eyes were locked on her breasts.

“So, can you clear everything and then we cuddle on the couch? I’ll pick a movie while you do that?” Quinn wanted to do a dance.

Artie nodded as she was in a daze and sprang into action. Quinn made herself comfortable on the sofa and grabbed the remote. Even though she planned to do a little more than cuddle on the couch, she still wanted to find a good movie to watch. They could pause it and then pick up when all they could do was cuddle on the couch. Quinn decided to stream an old favorite instead of searching.

Not too long after, Artie was back. She had changed, putting on baggy sweat pants and a sleeveless t-shirt. Quinn could guess why Artie changed, which meant she got the message loud and clear.

“Oh, come on, Quinn. How many times are we going to watch _The Titanic_? You know I only watch it because I love you,” Artie said as she flopped down on the sofa.

Quinn moved close to her spouse immediately. “Which is why you’ll watch it again.” She loved the movie, but it was an unfavorite for Artie.

“Yeah, well, what will you give me in return?” Artie’s eyes twinkled.

Quinn gazed at Artie under hooded eyes. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yeah, I would like to know. I’m not interested in sitting through _The Titanic_ for the nineteen billionth time.”

Quinn chuckled. “I promise to make it worth your while.”

“Well, this I have to see.”

Quinn winked and started the movie. They began their meal while Artie complained about every bit of the film. As much as Quinn liked the movie, Artie hated it. Hell, Artie might have hated it more. But, Quinn sat through more than her fair share of movies she disliked that Artie loved. Besides, she was not going to have Artie suffer through the whole film.

Quinn made the first move after finishing her dinner. Leaning against Artie, she put her hand in Artie’s lap. She could feel the toy Artie slipped on when she went upstairs, but ignored that for the moment. She ran her fingers along the idea of Artie’s thigh, feeling the tense muscle under the soft cotton of her pants. Artie continued on, eating her dinner, like nothing was happening, which Quinn expected.

When Quinn’s fingers wandered to the hem of Artie’s pants, Artie spread her legs a little more, a signal it was all right to continue. Quinn’s fingers went in for her bounty, having to bypass the straps of the harness. She found Artie warm and wet for her. Artie inhaled sharply and opened her legs more, but Quinn did not look at her. 

“Enjoying the movie, babe?” Quinn asked.

Artie groaned. “I could maybe learn to like this movie if something like this happened while we watched.”

Quinn snickered. “Maybe if you’re good.”

Quinn wasted no time running her fingers up and down Artie’s desire. There were some whimpers, but Artie did not say anything and Quinn stroked her clit leisurely, like they had all night, which they did. No sisters would pop and work was on the back burner until the next workday now. Artie moaned and her hips shifted a little, like she needed more.

“Like this?” Quinn asked, as she was quite willing to get on her knees for Artie if it was what her spouse needed.

“This is fine. After, you get your ass on my lap,” Artie replied and moaned.

Quinn snickered, but it sounded very much like a plan. Keeping her caresses even and short, Quinn knew soon she would have Artie dripping down her fingers. Short breaths and light moans were music to Quinn’s ears and then Artie ran her fingers through Quinn’s hair. Quinn would have been content to stay where she was all night.

“Oh, god, babe. Just like that,” Artie said, exhaling softly.

“Come all over my hand, love,” Quinn replied in a whisper. She wanted to feel Artie’s passion.

Artie whimpered and did as Quinn requested. Quinn groaned as Artie’s moans echoed through the living room and she gushed onto Quinn’s fingers. Sitting up, Quinn captured Artie’s lips in a kiss and Artie kissed her right back with bruising force. As Artie calmed down, the kiss became gentler.

“Fuck, babe. Get on my damn lap right now,” Artie said with a purr.

Quinn giggled, moving to straddle Artie. Swinging her leg over Artie’s hips, she smiled, biting her bottom lip as she was face to face with Artie. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment that seemed like eternity. She felt so connected to Artie, like Artie could see her very essence and accepted her for all that she was. There was always so much love in Artie’s russet eyes, looking for all the world like Quinn was the most precious thing ever. She wondered if Artie saw the same thing in her eyes. She wanted to ask, but she was too overcome with emotion and desire, feeling Artie’s hands on her.

As Artie’s hands caressed her thighs, Quinn came in for a kiss, feeling compelled to kiss her spouse, like it was a matter of life or death. The kiss was sloppy and great. Quinn put her hands on Artie’s cheeks and bucked as she felt a finger ghost across her clit.

Quinn whined. “Artie.”

“You’re so soft and warm,” Artie said and pecked Quinn on the lips.

Quinn opened her mouth to respond, but Artie slipped inside a finger inside of her and stole her words and her breath. Quinn clutched Artie’s shoulders as Artie moved her finger, which was joined by another shortly after. Quinn’s hips moved with Artie’s digits and she cooed, as tiny jolts danced along her nerves.

“You ready?” Artie asked, even though she had to know the answer the question.

“Please…” Quinn exhaled. She needed more. She wanted more. She wanted everything Artie was willing to give her.

“You never have to ask, but you do have to lift up for a second.”

Quinn groaned, loathing that idea, but things would get better in a moment, so she would endure. She lifted up and Artie shifted, wiggling her pants down enough to free her strap on. Quinn sank down onto it before Artie was finished, keening as she settled.

“Fuck, babe, you look so good riding my dick,” Artie said.

Quinn could only moan in response, bucking against Artie as soon as she could. Artie’s hands went to Quinn’s hips, giving her assistance she did not need. She chased her climax with great energy, feeling the pleasurable burn throughout her body. The feeling intensified as Artie’s moans and grunts filled her ears. She was on the verge of total combustion as Artie’s hand eased up her torso and cupped her breast. She arched into the touch and Artie tugged her nipple, pulling a loud moan from her throat.

“Fuck, baby.” Artie groaned as Quinn scratched her shoulder.

Quinn whimpered. “So close…” She moved faster and felt Artie thrust into her, trying to help her along. A short mew escaped her.

Artie put a hand on the small of Quinn’s back and ducked her head. Quinn arched her back again, pushing her breasts up and Artie wasted no time popping her free nipple in her mouth. Her body acted on its own, riding Artie with every intent of crossing a finish line. Grabbing a fist full of Artie’s hair at the nape of her neck, she could feel the edges of her orgasm nipping at her nerves. The feel of Artie’s tongue and the pull of her lips was more than enough for her climax to crash against her with all the force of a pleasure tsunami.

“Artie!” Quinn slumped against her spouse, unable to keep herself up.

She was vaguely aware of Artie stroking her back, but the feeling did not come fully into focus for a while. Artie kissed the side of her head. A smile crept onto Quinn’s face and she pulled away enough for Artie to see the expression.

“I get it. I get it. This is one of the many things the living room is for,” Artie said.

“Definitely high on the list when the pantheon is not around,” Quinn replied.

“Yeah, so I’ll set up an office downstairs by the gym we don’t have yet. But, can there be office sex, too?” Artie grinned.

“Baby, if you wear this thing anywhere in the house, I guarantee sex will surely follow.” Of course, she could also initiate sex in other rooms of the house, just as she had done here, but Artie was better at spontaneous lovemaking than she was once she established she was comfortable with an idea.

Artie chuckled. “Well, shit, I might just wear it all the time.”

“Part of me is scared you will, but another part of me is intrigued,” Quinn replied and that was the complete truth, as long as it did not lead to Artie having another identity crisis like in college. “But, I’m more interested in another round right now.”

Artie’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?” A kiss was her answer. They missed the remainder of the movie.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Artie shows she’s learned her lesson by hosting a football party.


	22. We Are Balling

22: We Are Balling

Artie wanted to prove to Quinn she got her message about what the living room was for. She planned a football party and was surprised Quinn had no problem with it. Well, beyond how they were going to feed a party. She did not think they had the money to spend it on friends coming to watch a game, but Artie said it would not be that many people. Besides, Artie claimed she had a plan. Quinn had to share that with Yvonne.

“Did that plan include gambling?” Yvonne asked as she and Quinn sat at the kitchen counter, watching Artie and Vega set up for their small crew. 

“It did. She tried to explain it to me, but it didn’t make sense. It was about scores at certain time periods and point spreads and something. She just assured me the party would pay for itself,” Quinn replied.

“She’s got people betting on the game somehow.”

Quinn nodded. “I’m not sure how it works, but there were squares and numbers involved and a diagram, which makes me feel worse because there were pictures and I still don’t get it.” She put her hands to her head, mimicking an explosion.

“Don’t feel bad. I’ve seen family do it and I don’t get. I don’t get football really, but Vega and Artie are into it, so I support them.” Yvonne glanced over at the pair as they moved chip bowls around on the dining room table.

“I’ve never really understood sports, which I think is one of the reasons why I never could fit in with my family.” Of course, even if she had been into sports, her parents would have ignored her, she was certain of that.

“I never got sports either, but I have an aunt and a few cousins who didn’t get it. So, we all had each other and hung out when there was a family gathering that involved any sport. But, now, we have to put up with it from our spouses. Which means they’ll pass it on to our kids,” Yvonne said.

Quinn leaned in closer. “Do you think about us having kids together? Raising them to be best friends like our two knuckleheads?” She nodded toward their spouses.

Yvonne smiled. “Of course I do. One day.”

Quinn nodded. It crossed her mind every now and then. She liked the idea raising a child to have a best friend in Yvonne and Vega’s offspring. Maybe it would be like having a sibling in case she could not talk Artie into having more than one. She really would not mind a tribe, a new pantheon. Artie did not seem swayed in wanting one, two at the most.

-8-8-8-8-

“Should we be worried that they’re whispering about having babies?” Vega asked as they put beer and sodas into the fridge. The drinks were not the best brands, but Vega talked Artie out of buying the store brands. Money was forever tight, especially with the house now. But, the small group they had coming in would chip in and there was also the gambling. Vega promised to donate any of her winnings to the party effort. She liked game parties, but hated anything at her house, so she was grateful Artie did this.

Artie shrugged. “Would you rather them try to figure out football again?”

Vega cringed. They had never heard so many wrong sports terms in such a short period of time. It got to the point they did not even know what to start correcting first. Artie almost swallowed her tongue when Quinn called the quarterback “the thrower.” She and Vega decided to ignore them after that, which they were still doing. Once everything was set up, they called Tia down from upstairs where she was doing her homework.

“You finished everything?” Artie asked as she threw her arm around her sister.

Tia nodded. “Yeah, I started my essay, so I should be able to get that done early.” The essay was not due until the end of the week. 

“Gonna hang out with Quinn then?” Artie grinned. It would always matter how much Quinn loved her sisters and how much they loved Quinn in return, but she greatly appreciated how Quinn’s better habits rubbed off on them, like valuing their writing.

“We’re gonna go get our nails done.” Tia seemed to brag about this, even though Artie would never go to get her nails done with Quinn. She indulged Quinn once and had not had a fun experience, getting a fungus on one of her fingers.

“For now, you’re watching football, like a real person.” Artie threw a wink her wife’s way. 

Quinn sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. Soon, the house was packed with a dozen football fans, ready to take in the game on Artie’s massive television. She spent money on the television that should have gone to her home gym, but she figured Quinn and her sisters would appreciate the television more than a treadmill.

Most of the people, Artie and Vega knew from college, but a couple of them were friends from work. A few of them came with significant others. As soon as the game started, they were all hyped. Sides were picked, bets were made, and it was like old times. Artie knew she would have to do this again.

“Go, go, go!” Artie and Vega screamed. Tia was on Artie’s back and surprisingly enough Quinn was at her side.

Quinn did not ask any questions, just stayed tucked up against Artie. Artie grabbed her into a hug as her team scored a touchdown. Vega gave her a hard high-five before yanking Yvonne to her, giving her a celebratory kiss.

“In your face!” Artie hollered at no one in particular. She might actually win some money, having bet on the halftime score and it was the right score.

At the end of the day, the party went well. Their friends hung out for a little while, catching up on each other’s lives and flashing money if they won. There were promises to do this again soon, maybe here or at someone else’s house, and then everyone was gone.

The cleanup was Hell. For a while, Artie and Vega stared at the living room, unsure of where to begin. It did not help that their spouses and Tia had left just like the party guests.

“It’s all fun and games until we need to pick up after everyone, huh?” Vega said with a sneer.

“Loves, you don’t want to help us?” Artie called to their spouses, holed up in the kitchen again.

“This is all you. Your party, your game, and your cleanup,” Quinn replied.

“So, my hundred bucks I won at halftime?” Artie grinned. It amazed her wife how many people were willing to put twenty dollars on the halftime score as well as the final score, not to mention a whole lot of other game related items. She was not surprised at all.

“No, all money is shared equally,” Quinn said.

Artie laughed, especially since it was both the truth and a lie. They were very open with their money, but they both liked to give each other the freedom to spend the money they earned on whatever they desired, as long as it was not something totally outrageous.

Artie turned to Vega. “Looks like we’re on our own.” She sighed. Cleaning would probably always be the bane of her existence.

“We?” Vega looked at Yvonne. “Honey, don’t we have to get home?”

“Stop it. Help your brother clean up,” Yvonne replied, holding up a stern finger.

Vega scoffed. “Some brother. Look what you’ve dragged me into, Art.” She sneered at Artie, who could understand the sentiment.

Despite her complaints, Vega jumped into the task with Artie. Tia came back and helped without having to asked or told. Artie smiled to herself because of that. Tia was maturing nicely in her opinion. She had come out of those early teen years for the better.

“You wanna just stay here for the night?” Artie asked once the cleaning was done. It was not too late, but they still had some pizza and chips left over and a movie would be a good way to end the day.

“Babe?” Vega called.

“Put on a good movie and we’ll set up camp,” Yvonne replied.

Artie did not have to be told twice. Soon, the five of them were camped out in the living room, tucked under some blankets, and watching a movie. Tia fell asleep, curled up on the sofa by herself.

“Remember when she would have insisted on sleeping next to you?” Artie asked Quinn, as Quinn made sure Tia was covered properly with her blanket. Quinn eased back in next to Artie, who covered them both.

“She’s too independent now,” Quinn said.

“You got her there,” Yvonne said.

Artie nodded. “You did.”

“I think it was a group effort. The whole pantheon has amazing people to look up to. I know for a fact they have a great dad.” Quinn kissed Artie’s cheek.

Artie snickered. “Your flattery will not get my hundred dollars.”

“Oh, hush.” Quinn pinched Artie’s side.

“Well, thank you everyone for helping make Tia awesome,” Artie said.

“Can we just watch the damn movie?” Vega snorted. “Too bad emotional in here.”

Artie laughed. Vega was probably trying to steer the conversation clear of this in case their wives brought up children. Artie decided to help.

“Isn’t this the part you guys think is fake?” Artie pointed out. This started a debate, as Quinn and Yvonne were certain this was the best part of the movie. Talk of parenting faded away. For now.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: meeting the twins’ significant others.


	23. Against All Odds

23: Against All Odds

Artie sighed, threw her head back on the couch, and rubbed her eyes as she read an email on her phone. She always knew the twins would be the death of her. The email proved it.

“Babe, you okay over there?” Quinn said, coming in from the kitchen. She eased a sandwich into Artie’s lap before sitting down next to her. Two drinks were placed on the coffee table along with Quinn’s sandwich.

Artie rubbed her left temple. “I need to prepare for the stroke I’m going to have in two days.”

Quinn’s brow furrowed. “Why two days? What’s going on? You didn’t volunteer us to cook the whole Thanksgiving dinner, did you?” A teasing smirk played on Quinn’s face, but did not reach across the couch and grab Artie.

Artie could not answer, just showed Quinn her phone. Quinn sat back a little and quietly read the brief email. Artie bit into her tuna melt, the crunch of lettuce ringing in her eyes. Quinn glanced at her and then went back to reading the message. She made a noise and Artie was not sure what that meant. She hoped it meant Quinn would help her not have a stroke. It might take a lot of work because even the delicious sandwich, full of her favorite things was not helping.

Quinn handed Artie back her phone and reached for her smaller sandwich. “Why is this freaking you out? You’ve met people the twins have dated before. Just don’t threaten to strangle anyone… or actually strangle anyone.” She bit her sandwich.

“Hey, that little fucker had it coming.” Artie growled and had to put her food down, scared she might drop it. She thought back a couple of years ago when Venus brought home the most obnoxious boy Artie had ever met. She did not like the way he spoke to Venus and eventually he took things too far in front of her. “What if she’s dating someone like him? Like she’s picking up right where Mom left off?” This was her biggest fear when any of her sisters started dating, even Aphrodite. Women could be jerks just like men.

Quinn waved the question off and squeezed Artie’s thigh. “She’s just trying to find herself. At her age I was still dating men.”

“I do believe at her age, you met an awesome ‘guy.’” Artie grinned, sitting up a little taller. She took another bite out of her food.

Quinn wagged her finger. “But, we weren’t dating. It took us both a while to figure things out. Give Venus a chance to figure things out. She’s probably just figuring out her type. Beyond that, maybe she has if she wants you to meet this one. They both want you to meet them.”

Artie sighed. She hated meeting her sisters’ significant others. In her mind, her sisters would always be little kids. How was she supposed to deal with them being adults? They were in college and making their own money. No, it was not a lot of money, but enough to sustain them for the most part. Soon, they would be out on their own, having careers, and possibly settling down with these people they wanted her to meet.

“Why don’t they stay cute and little for the rest of their lives?” She had to put her sandwich down to cross her arms over her chest.

Quinn snickered and ate more of her food. “Because they have to eventually turn into adults. They’re cute and little for a long time, though. Hell, I still think Tia is cute, even though she is very much not little.”

Artie smiled. “Tia is cute, but that’s thanks to you.” She kissed Quinn’s cheek, not caring that Quinn was chewing her food.

Quinn pulled away to swallow in peace. “It’ll be fine. If you don’t like their significant others, you can talk to them. You know that. They know what your expectations are for people they date.”

“Yet Venus still brought around a kid I had to choke.” She would never forget that and it would never fail to infuriate her.

Quinn blew out a breath. “You didn’t _have_ to choke him. You wanted to choke him. There’s a difference.”

Artie held up her index finger. “No, when you put your hands on any women in my family, you leave me with no choice. Who the hell did he think he was, grabbing her like that?”

Quinn winced. “Don’t think about it. You’ll just work yourself up. At least, Dite isn’t dating jerks.”

Artie sighed again and decided to eat her sandwich before it got cold. No, Aphrodite was just dating wrong. Ever since her first girlfriend, whom she never said was her first girlfriend, Charlie, left for college, Aphrodite had been chasing the exact opposite of Charlie. Charlie fit her, but hurt her when they lost contact and now she seemed in search of love in any woman who was not like Charlie. It was a bit sad.

“Aphrodite will find the right woman eventually,” Quinn said, never failing to read Artie’s mind. “After all, you had to do a bit of searching, too. We can’t all be Vega and have the perfect woman fall into our laps.”

Artie scoffed. “Please, Tega used to literally be in Vega’s lap and that idiot still thought Tega liked me.”

Quinn chuckled. “See, it takes time. In different ways. They’ll be fine. This will be fine.” Artie wanted to believe that, but it was so hard.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie had to admit, Venus and Aphrodite surprised her this time around. She could see why they wanted her to meet their significant others. She and Vega had hyped each other, ready to basically kill Venus’ boyfriend and were sorely disappointed the second they stepped through Anna’s door and met him. She was almost certain Mahmoud was secretly laughing at them as they tried to make sense of Venus’ boyfriend. Vega’s father had told them several times they were being ridiculous about the whole situation.

“Are we sure that’s her boyfriend?” Vega asked as she and Artie tucked themselves into a corner in the dining room. They watched the pantheon in the living room, banned from helping set the table for Thanksgiving because they ate as worked. Anna was fed up with it.

Artie shrugged. “That’s what she said.” Her brow furrowed as she stared at the boyfriend. It did not add up.

Vega’s face scrunched up. “He’s wearing more makeup than she is.”

Artie shrugged again. She did not understand what she was looking at with Venus’ boyfriend. He did not seem like a bad kid, all smiles and friendliness with the pantheon. He was wearing more makeup than Venus, but Artie did not care about that really. It just did not add up. 

He was definitely not what Venus usually went for. She had always been attracted to athletes and the one time she strayed from that formula was in high school with a boyfriend named Tracey. Tracey lasted about as long as Artie thought he would, a couple of months. Their personalities just had not meshed, even though Tracey was a good, somewhat dull, kid.

“Maybe it’s a trick, so we don’t break his face if he steps out of line,” Vega said.

All Artie could do was shrug once more. It was possible it was a trick, but she hoped that was not the case. She did not want either twin to think they had to start using chicanery to get significant others passed her. She did not understand what Venus was doing, but she would wait. As long as this one did not put his hands on Venus, it meant she was not doing as bad as before. He seemed shy and respectful when they sat down for Thanksgiving dinner, quietly requesting anything at the table if he spoke at all. Things seemed a little tense, but Diana took care of that.

“Your makeup is really pretty, Raine,” Diana said, tucked in close to Artie. She was too big to sit on Artie’s lap now, but still liked any excuse to be close. The tight Thanksgiving set up was the perfect excuse for Diana to try to share Artie’s chair. Artie did not put up a fight over it.

He blushed. “Uh… thanks. I’ve gotten pretty good with it.” His voice was soft and a little high. Over the phone, he had to be mistaken for a girl often. He had on lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and everything. Truthfully, he looked cute.

“Quinn taught Venus to do makeup and now Venus is really the only one of us who does makeup,” Diana continued.

He shrugged. “Dite seems a little into it.”

Artie looked up, as that was news to her. But, as she studied Aphrodite’s face, she could see the light lipstick and hint of eyeliner. Aphrodite had always shunned makeup, but Quinn always voiced suspicions that Aphrodite did it because she wanted some distance between her and Venus. Now, apparently, it did not matter.

“This is new,” Quinn said and Anna nodded.

“It’s not like I like it that much. I mean, Raine showed me how to make sure I keep it understated.” Aphrodite frowned, like she did not want the attention to her.

“Aw, it makes you look cute.” Her girlfriend, Mysha, grinned as she pinched Aphrodite’s cheeks. Artie had not had a chance to focus much on Mysha. Raine, as he wanted to be called but would not say if that was his real name or not, demanded all of her attention. He was the one she might have to beat into the ground, after all.

“Yeah, cute.” Tia blew taunting kisses across the table to Aphrodite.

“Don’t think I won’t come over there.” Aphrodite pointed a stern finger at her younger sister.

“Why don’t you tell us how you guys met before a fight breaks out,” Quinn suggested, speaking to Venus and Raine.

Venus shrugged. “We met in class last semester. What was the class? Gender studies or something?” She looked to Raine.

“Gender traditions and modern society,” he replied.

“What does that have to do with your engineering degree?” Artie asked.

“It checked a box for a required course. Something to do with humanities or something. Anyway, it seemed like it was interesting and I thought it might help me better understand you,” Venus replied.

“You don’t need a class to understand me. You can ask me whatever you want,” Artie said. She felt a little uncomfortable with Venus taking a course to figure her out.

“I know. I know. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is I met Raine.” She smiled at him and he smiled back. It was a small expression, but his dark brown eyes sparkled as he looked at her. If Artie were not so ready to jump down his throat, she might even say he gazed at her sister with love.

“Why were you in the class?” Quinn asked.

Raine looked away, like the floor had an answer, but then stared at Quinn. “I guess trying to learn about myself. I never really fit gender roles and I was hoping the class could help me figure it out.”

“What do you mean?” Tia asked. “How can a class help you figure out who you are?”

“Well, I’ve always been… girly, I guess.” He motioned to his face, his makeup. He held up his hands, showing off manicured, painted nails. “I used to be more over the top when I was younger. From birth, I’ve been told I act like a girl trapped in a boy’s body, but I’ve never actually felt that way. There are just things I like, you know? I like what I like, but people would always tell me the things I liked were for girls.”

“Oh, so people have been telling you who you are your entire life,” Quinn said. Most of the table listened to him, not bothering to touch their food, Artie included. Of course, Tia was eating and listening.

Raine nodded. “Pretty much. Between being told I’m probably a girl trapped in a boy’s body and I’m gay, I had never really questioned it. My parents were really supportive and were fine, always pushing me to find a boyfriend, always standing up for me whenever someone said something, and I felt like I’d disappoint them if I told them I didn’t feel that way.”

“So, you’re not gay or a girl in a boy’s body? Cuz, it’s cool if you are. Artie is a boy most of the time,” Tia said. 

“But, she doesn’t mind if we call her ‘she,’” Diana chimed in, trying to be helpful.

Artie frowned. “This isn’t about me.”

“I read your book,” Raine said, turning his focus to Artie. “After I met Venus, she told me about you and I read your book.”

And that was even more uncomfortable. Was Raine some crazy fan? She hoped not. She wanted to trust Venus’ judgment, but several previous boyfriends made it hard.

“Venus, you actually recommended my book to someone?” Artie managed to ask.

“I thought it might help him. When we met in class, he seemed a little shocked that I was willing to sit next to him and I never stared at the makeup or the fact that he had on women’s shoes,” Venus said.

“People tend to stay away from me until they can figure out what I’m about, or until they assumed they’ve figured out what I’m about. With Venus, I thought she was one of those girls looking for a gay bestie when she started talking to me and being nice to me.” Raine made a face, sticking out his tongue. It was probably a role he played often, but disliked.

“Venus already has a gay bestie.” Aphrodite chimed in with a grin.

“Well, I didn’t know that at the time,” Raine replied.

“So, how did you end up dating?” Juno inquired, leaning on the table as best she could without knocking over a plate.

Aphrodite raised her hand. “I assume full credit here.”

“We had to have a little to do with it, so you can’t assume all the credit.” Raine pointed to himself and Venus.

Aphrodite scoffed. “Oh, please. You thought you were her gay bestie. You were totally prepared to resign yourself to that fate. You didn’t even want to admit to yourself you liked girls.”

“I admitted it to you!” Raine motioned to her down the table. This was shaping up to be more interesting than Artie expected.

“Wait, you thought you were gay because everyone told you that you were gay?” Juno asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

Raine frowned a little. “Yes.”

“But, you weren’t gay?” Juno inquired.

“Well, I dated and kissed boys before. It was really the only reference I had because I had dated boys since being allowed to date. I looked at girls a lot, but people kept assuring me it was a weird form of envy or how girls looked at each other all the time. Hell, Venus thought I was gay.” Raine pointed at Venus with his thumb.

Venus’ mouth dropped open. “Can you not?” She blushed.

“So, this is where Aphrodite comes into play, I’m guessing,” Quinn said.

“These two idiots were pining for each other, but Raine thought he was in the friend zone or whatever guys call it and Venus thought he was gay, even though she’s the one encouraging him to be himself.” Aphrodite shook her head. “It was way more stressful than it sounded and I told them either to go on a date or I was going to jail for homicide. I just hadn’t decided which one of them I was going to kill yet.”

“Sounds like a good decision,” Tia said. “So, when was this?”

“Midway through last semester. It was a very good decision.” Venus took Raine’s hand and kissed his knuckles. They had on matching nail polish.

“Your story is probably boring compared to that, huh?” Juno asked, looking at Aphrodite.

“Rude,” Artie scolded the teen, who pouted. Artie was curious as to how Aphrodite ended up with Mysha, considering Aphrodite stopped dating women who looked like her or acted like her when she stopped dating women who were like Charlie. Every girlfriend she ever brought around after Charlie was always delicate and dainty. Based on looks, Mysha was dainty because she was short, but calling her delicate would probably result in a black eye.

“Kinda hard to top Raine’s story, but remember, without Raine, the story wouldn’t be interesting anyway because Venus is boring and all of her boyfriends are boring,” Aphrodite said.

“As long as Artie doesn’t have to choke-slam him, it’s fine,” Juno said without thinking hopefully.

Raine’s eyes went wide and he turned to Artie with the proper terror paling his cheeks. “Choke-slam?”

“Venus was dating someone who wasn’t very respectful and didn’t keep his hands to himself,” Artie replied. She still could not believe the audacity of that little asshole. Who did he think he was, grabbing Venus in front of her? Artie was about to get pissed off about it all over again, but the gentle hand on her knee drew her back to the present. Quinn offered her a small smile along with the hand on her knee.

“I would never!” Raine shook his head.

“You better not,” Vega chimed in, pointing her fork at him. She then made a show of holding up her bicep.

Raine shook his head even more, getting the message if the sheer horror in his eyes meant anything, and Aphrodite jumped into save him. “Me and Mysha isn’t really a great story, unless she tells it because then I come across as an idiot.”

“You are an idiot. You didn’t realize we were dating until five dates in,” Mysha said with a smirk.

The younger members of the pantheon all tilted their heads to regard Aphrodite. Artie laughed until Quinn pinched her. Artie accepted the reprimand. Who knew how long she and Quinn had been dating and never realized they were.

“Can I take credit for that one?” Venus asked with a smug smirk. “I had to tell her. She thought you were her gay best friend.”

“Well, technically I was the gay best friend,” Aphrodite said. 

“Only because you didn’t realize you were my girlfriend,” Mysha replied, shaking her head.

“Tia, Juno, Diana, pay attention. This is your dating future, like the three idiots before you,” Vega said.

“One idiot got it right so far, though.” Quinn leaned over to kiss Artie’s cheek. “Hopefully, the other two are on the way.”

“Hey!” Artie and the twins said. Sure, it was sweet to get kissed, but her wife just called her an idiot.

“We come by it honestly. Our father is an idiot,” Aphrodite said. She stuck her tongue out at Artie.

“So… we’re all going to be idiots?” Diana asked with a furrowed brow.

“Of course not, sweetie.” Yvonne leaned over to rub the top of Diana’s head. “Stupidity isn’t inherited. Look at Vega.”

Vega’s face fell into a deadpan. “Really? This is what we’re doing?”

“Do I need to remind you what happened with us?” Yvonne inquired. Vega’s eyes went wide. “Because I’m pretty sure, we’d win story time here.”

“Shh!” Vega put her hand over her wife’s mouth.

There were laughs and the dinner went back to normal, which Artie was not sure if she was grateful for or not. She was not sure how she felt about Raine and Mysha just yet. Raine had a nice sob story. Mysha had the cute story. But, Artie was not sold.

“So, why aren’t you two seeing your families for Thanksgiving?” Artie asked once dinner was over. They retreated to the living room, ready to slip into a good nap before waking up to eat some more. Vega and Yvonne had left to go see Yvonne’s family. Diana was already asleep against Quinn, who was on the couch.

“It was a nice excuse to meet you all. Dite, she was scared of this,” Mysha replied. Aphrodite was pressed against her, head tucked on her shoulder, snoring peacefully.

“Venus was, too,” Raine chimed in, gently running his fingers through Venus’ hair. Venus was out, using his thigh as a pillow.

“That doesn’t answer the question,” Artie replied, holding back a yawn. Sleep called her mostly from habit, but there were questions that needed answers first.

Mysha frowned a little. “She’s met my family already.”

Artie frowned, too. “When?”

“Over the summer.” Mysha glanced away, like she had done something wrong.

Artie shook her head. “It’s okay.” Mysha had not done anything wrong. Artie must have done something wrong if it took Aphrodite so long to bring Mysha around. And, now that she thought about it, Venus had been seeing Raine since last semester. It was over six months of relationship there, too. “Has Venus met your family, too?”

Raine shook his head. “I’m more scared than she was. I don’t know how my family will react to me dating a girl, to me liking girls. I mean, this is like coming out for me, but worse as it feels like I lied to them. She was scared, but not like that. She knew you’d be reasonable as long as I was myself, she kept saying. But, she said she messed up last time she brought someone here and she hated that she disappointed you.”

Artie glanced at Venus, definitely asleep considering the line of drool flowing from her mouth. “I’m never disappointed in any of them. I just worry.” Now, she worried over what she might have done wrong where the twins felt like they could not come to her with this. She would have to do something about that over this break. She never wanted the twins to delay in telling her about big things in their lives because they were afraid of her reaction.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn and Artie enjoy a little time together before Artie talks to the twins.


	24. Seal of Approval

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: some sexy times here.

24: Seal of Approval

Artie was out with the twins for the last day of Thanksgiving break and Quinn decided to take that time to clean the house. They had hosted the entire pantheon the day after Thanksgiving and they would never _not_ be messy. It was nice to see the sisters reestablishing bonds, but Quinn also knew Artie was concerned she had somehow made her relationship with the twins rocky. Quinn tried to get her to understand it was always hard to introduce that special someone to family, but Artie was not convinced. Hopefully, they would get that mess straightened out.

“For now, I need to get _this_ mess straightened out.” Quinn sighed as she stood in the living room. For all of the training she put into the pantheon over her five years with them, they were still like having a category five hurricane blow through any space they occupied, especially when they were all together.

The living room had to have every blanket, pillow, sheet, comforter, and article of clothing in the house in it for whatever reason. Campouts seemed to be a necessity when they were all together now. Quinn would not mind the campouts, if someone — _anyone_ — could pick up something — _anything_ — when they were done.

She turned on some music, fetched a few laundry baskets to help her sort things, and then began plucking items off the floor. Once the laundry was sorted, each basket went down to the laundry room and she started a load. Then, she had to dispose of garbage left out. It was nothing majorly disgusting, but empty cups or bottle or cans. Anything with crumbs, the sisters knew better than to leave out or Quinn would have their collective ass. But, anything that did not leave crumbs was left unattended, like the garbage fairy would come to collect it.

She checked on the laundry and then went on to do the dishes. She had to turn the music up a little more to hear it over the running water. She swayed her hips as she washed and rinsed the dishes. It blew her mind that the sisters did not use the dishwasher. The house came with one and should have been right up their alley, but they would rather leave dishes in the sink to wash themselves, she guessed. She was not sure what they thought would happen to the dirty dishes. _They probably think there’s a dishes fairy, too_.

Doing the dishes gave her a way to keep busy, so she forsook the dishwasher for the moment as well. Once that was done, she went back to the laundry room, moving one load to the dryer and putting another in the washing machine. Then, it was back to the kitchen to the mop the floor. The floor she could not blame on the pantheon. It was just time to mop. The music continued to play as she grabbed the mop and began to clean and dance.

She got into the cleanup to the point where she was surprised when an arm looped around her waist. A yelp escaped her, but she relaxed as her back pressed against a hard front. She groaned as she felt a poke against her ass.

“Someone is happy to see me,” Quinn said as she felt warm lips pressed against her neck.

“Always,” Artie answered.

“I’m guessing things went good outside.”

Artie purred. “Yeah, and I dropped everyone off at Mom’s house. We have to go over there for dinner in a couple of hours to say bye to the twins, but that’s in a couple of hours.”

Quinn could not help the smirk that settled on her face. “Oh, whatever shall we do to pass the time?”

“Gee, I wonder.”

Before Quinn could say something else, Artie grabbed her around the waist and picked her up onto the kitchen counter. She was assaulted with a heated kisses and roaming hands. She did not put up a fight, kissing back and trying to get a hold of Artie. While she sought a bit of her spouse to grip, Artie’s hands made their way under her t-shirt. She pulled away for a second.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what the hell happened out there for you to come in like this?” Quinn asked.

Artie chuckled. “You think I came in like this? You have the music too loud. I watched you for a while and then had to go grab my dick because your hips were begging for it.” She pushed closer.

Quinn groaned and then grinned. “Well, as the song goes, my hips don’t lie.” She could use the distraction from cleaning and feeling annoyed with her favorite group of goddesses.

Artie smirked and came in for another kiss. Quinn leaned into it, enjoying the feel of her spouse’s mouth, tasting affection and love. The caress of Artie’s hands only added to the fire building in Quinn. She reached down to undo Artie’s pants.

“Moving a little fast, aren’t we?” Artie asked with a teasing sparkle in her eyes.

“Says the woman who shows up with a hard-on while I’m cleaning?”

Artie snickered. “You’d think you’d take it as a compliment.”

With a snort, Quinn dramatically rolled her eyes. “I’d be more complimented if you and yours could clean up after yourselves.”

Artie did not want any part of that conversation and kissed Quinn to quiet her, which was fine. Quinn did not mind the distraction, but Artie and the rest of the pantheon would get an earful later tonight at dinner. For now, she would revel in the feel of her spouse.

Quinn put a hand to Artie’s cheek while the other claimed one of Artie’s breasts. She kneaded it through the t-shirt Artie wore, which prompted Artie to squeeze Quinn’s breasts. Quinn moaned into Artie’s mouth and that seemed to be a signal for Artie to go further. Artie’s hand dipped into Quinn’s shorts and she bucked against familiar fingers.

“Yes, babe,” Quinn hissed, trying to pull Artie deeper.

“Feels good?” Artie asked, as if she did not know.

Quinn tightened her hold on Artie’s neck. “More.”

Artie obliged while going in for another kiss. A finger slipped inside and Quinn saw stars briefly, joy shooting through her. Before she could fully recover and appreciate one finger, Artie gave her another. Her breath hitched and her hips jumped as her nerves danced with delight. Artie chuckled against her lips, knowing just what she was doing to Quinn. It felt like she was flying, going higher and higher on the whim of Artie’s fingers.

“Wanna come on my fingers?” Artie asked.

Quinn was not sure if that was a real question. Of course she wanted to climax and doing so as soon as possible would be ideal. It did not help that her spouse had very talented digits. A whine escaped her, an attempt to answer. Well, more an attempt to sass, but it was too much for her brain to process.

“You could come on my dick if you’d rather,” Artie said and there was a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“The hell?” The question came out in a groan, but this was too much. Quinn could not believe this was the conversation. Why could she not have both? “Stop teasing,” she whined. How dare Artie tease her right now!

Artie snickered. “Oh, so you don’t want to come at all?”

Quinn dug her fingers into Artie’s neck, knowing her nails bit into Artie’s flesh. “You’re awful today. First, you left a mess and now this? Terrible.”

“You’re pretty bold for someone at my mercy.” Artie curled her fingers and Quinn moaned to the ceiling.

Quinn wrapped her legs around Artie and pulled her closer. A devilish grin curled onto her lips. “You’re pretty bold for someone who is going to want to do this again sometime soon.”

Artie did not have a comeback for that one and started another kiss instead. Quinn did not have much of a chance to feel triumphant. Artie curled her fingers again, pumped them at just the right pace, and Quinn was flooded with ecstasy. It took very little work to get her to the edge and over, body exploding around Artie’s fingers. The world lost focus and when everything fell back into place, she could feel like kisses to her neck.

“Back with me?” Artie asked, lips right at Quinn’s ear. The nip was expected, but still sent shivers down her spine.

Quinn moved her head enough to kiss Artie on the lips. “Wasn’t that just the beginning?”

“You asked for it.” Artie shifted, lining herself up with Quinn. “Got another in you?”

Quinn smirked. “Tired already, Big Daddy?” Her eyes went wide as soon as the nickname left her mouth. _Oh, god_. That was more than mortifying, but Artie was kind enough to ignore it. The twinkle in her eyes let Quinn know it would not be the last time she heard about this, though. “Oh, just shut up,” Quinn said.

Artie grinned as she eased inside of Quinn, who crowed as Artie filled her just right. Quinn clung to Artie as she set a fast pace. Each thrust was almost too much for her senses, sending sparks all over her body. Artie put a hand on her back to help steady her, but the other hand tugged at her nipple, making her buck wildly into Artie. It only got worse as Artie’s hand left her breast to caress her clit. She could not care less if she fell off the counter chasing this orgasm.

“Fuck,” Quinn groaned, feeling the passion build all the way to the roots of her hair.

“Yeah, baby,” Artie said, panting in Quinn’s face. She dipped her head, like she was going in for a kiss, but changed direction. She pulled Quinn’s earlobe in between her teeth and that was it for Quinn.

Artie had the power to make Quinn feel like she touched heaven and now was one of those times. She held onto Artie as she rocketed through the atmosphere, clung to paradise for as long as possible. There were soft kisses to her cheeks and lips as she came back down.

“I’m guessing it was a really good day for you,” Quinn said.

Artie kissed the end of her nose. “I’m working on it.”

Quinn did not know what to make of that, but did not have much of a chance to think on it. Artie kissed her again, a decent distraction as she pulled out. Quinn whimpered at the loss, but remained focused on the kiss. Eventually, Artie pulled away.

“Come on, you gotta get ready for dinner,” Artie pointed out. Quinn whined once more. She did have to get ready, though. She could not miss the twins on their last night here.

-8-8-8-8-

The level of activity she and Quinn stepped into when they got to her mother’s house did not surprise Artie. Her sisters were moving about the place, not doing anything in particular, just moving. Raine and Myasha conversed with each other or with passing members of the pantheon. Dinner was homemade, courtesy of their mother and the twins. Artie was impressed with how well the twins had gotten at cooking. From the way everyone sat around the table and stuffed the food in their mouths, Artie figured they were just as impressed with the twins.

“This is way better than when you tried to teach me how to make it,” Raine said to Venus, smiling at her.

“Yeah, well, you set the stove on fire, so…” Venus rolled her eyes and Raine smiled more before shoving penne in his mouth.

“Worst gay man ever.” Aphrodite stuck her tongue out at Raine, who narrowed his gaze on her.

He pointed at her with his fork. “Says the worst lesbian ever. She has a girlfriend and doesn’t even realize it.” He earned snickers from the younger sisters.

“Hey, don’t talk about my girlfriend like that.” Mysha shook her fist at Raine.

Artie had experienced this little comfortable back and forth with them all day, that day and yesterday. They were all friends. They hung out together, like a little clique. It helped set Artie at ease. The twins never palled around with their significant others this way. Still, she had to speak with them before they all left. She started with the twins, grabbing them away during the cleanup and dragging them down to her former room in the basement.

Tia kept the place neater than Artie used to, but they needed to step over clothing on the floor and books. Artie leaned against the dresser while the twins stayed by the stairs. For a moment, they stared at her, eyes sparkling with hope as they seemed to try to fight back smiles.

“So, what do you think?” Venus asked with Aphrodite nodding eagerly right next to her.

“Well, they’re not the type you two usually go for, but they seem okay right now,” Artie replied. It was the truth. “They seem like your friends.” It made her want to get to know them better.

“They are,” Aphrodite said.

“Good friends,” Venus added. 

“We hang out all the time,” Aphrodite said.

Artie nodded and she put a hand on each of their shoulders to get them to stop and to show support. “I get it. I want you guys to know, you can come to me with stuff like this. You can talk to me about who you’re dating. You’re not going to disappoint me. I just worry.”

They both smiled. “We know,” Venus said.

“You’re our dad. Of course, you worry.” Aphrodite put her hand on Artie’s shoulder. “We want to live up to the example you set, though. And, believe me, we know the people we’ve brought around weren’t up to snuff. We thought they were, but we eventually learn differently. Usually after we brought them here and watched them interact with you.”

“And I need you to know I’m very serious that was the first time Holden ever grabbed me like that. We were already in a bad place by the time I brought him around, but I hoped seeing I was serious about our relationship would help change things. I didn’t think it would get that rotten. I’m sorry I had to put you in a position to almost kill him like that,” Venus said.

“She’s right. I mean, if I thought Holden was that much of an ass, I’d have broken his face before he ever made it here,” Aphrodite said.

“I want you both to know your value,” Artie said.

They smirked. “We’re goddesses. Duh.”

Artie smiled, too. “I’m glad you know. I’m still giving them the ‘I’ll kill you if you hurt them’ speech.”

“We know.”

“But, if things keep going as good as they are, please update me. You guys can talk to me about this. You’re not disappointments and your silence only makes me worry more.”

They nodded. “We’re sorry that we worried you. We get nervous sometimes,” Aphrodite said. 

“You don’t have to be. I want to know everything about you guys, especially when you’re happy,” Artie replied.

Venus smiled. “We know. We’ll do better.” 

“I will, too.” Artie needed them to understand they could be open with her, so she needed to get them to understand she was not judging them. 

They hugged her. It was too soon to tell about these relationships, but she felt better after spending time with them. She would never stop worrying, but the worries could change and lessen. Now, it was time for her to go threaten some significant others before everyone returned to college.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the younger half of the pantheon want some attention, too.


	25. Ready, Aim, Fire

25: Ready, Aim, Fire

As Quinn finished her writing for the day, she sighed. She got more done than she expected, especially since she knew when she looked at her phone, there would be dozens of missed text messages. She was not disappointed. Most of the messages were from Juno and Diana. They wanted to come over, which was not unusual. They had taken it up a notch since Thanksgiving. At first she thought it was because of the twins, but now it was clearly because of Tia.

“Tia, you’re here,” Quinn said as she came downstairs to find Tia in the living room, working on her homework. It was not a surprise, merely an obvious statement.

“Yup.” Tia did not look up from her work.

Tia had been over almost everyday since the twins left. Quinn was not sure what it was about, but she felt like it had something to do with Artie. Artie had spent a lot of time with the twins in the few days they were around for break. Sure, she camped out with the whole pantheon, but the time spent outside had been with the twins and their partners. She would have to get her spouse on this, especially if Juno and Diana did not stop texting her.

“Why don’t they text Art?” Quinn frowned as she made her way to the kitchen for something to drink. She felt bad ignoring them, but it was better than having to be the one to say “no” all the time. They did not understand Tia was over every night because she took the bus herself and texting them that did not help the situation. Juno called her.

“I can take the bus. I’m gonna be fourteen soon. I’m old enough,” Juno said as soon as Quinn answered.

Juno could take the bus on her own. She did so, going to high school now just like Tia. She got out later, though. It was easier for her to go to her house than theirs from school, easier and safer.

“I’m not saying you’re not old enough,” Quinn replied. She was not sure how Anna and Artie would react to Juno taking the bus to the house. She was not comfortable with the idea, but she was not comfortable with Tia taking public transportation on her own either, especially if she had to go a great distance for whatever reason.

“So, how come I can’t come over, too?” Her pout could be heard in her voice.

“Your school is closer to your house. It’s safer for you to go home.”

Juno scoffed. “It’s not like it’s too far.”

“You’d have to take a different bus.” Quinn was fairly certain that was the thing that troubled Juno’s sister and mother.

Juno sucked her teeth. “So, what? I’m not a baby anymore. I can take more than one bus.”

“Talk to your mom and Artie about this. You know I’m not giving you any sort of okay without them.” She knew she got these messages because the pantheon thought she could soften Artie up when they finally did ask her something. She did not understand why they did not just ask their mother. Anna caved on many things they wanted, unable to resists guilty pouts or heart-wrenching tears or bribing hugs.

“Fine.” Juno huffed. “I’ll call Artie. Bye.”

Quinn winced as Juno hung up the phone. Teenage years were such a pain. Putting it out of her head, she went to start dinner. She heard Artie come in and was not surprised when Artie stood beside her in the kitchen.

“Hey, Princess.” Artie gave her a quick peck on the lips. “What is the deal with the Bug? She and the Piglet won’t stop texting me.”

“They want to start coming over like Tia does. And speaking of that, are you going to find out why Tia keeps coming over so much? I don’t have a problem with it, but I’m sure your mother has to wonder.” Quinn did not want to be accused of stealing anyone again. While Anna seemed to like her well enough now, she did not want to test her luck.

Artie scoffed. “Mom doesn’t mind. She doesn’t have to worry about them while she’s asleep then or she gets to get some work done or dream up promotions for the resort. Plus, even if she has a thing with you, she doesn’t care they’re with me. Do you mind if they do come over here more often?”

Quinn blinked. “Why would I mind?”

“Because this is your house and you didn’t sign up to for day camp.”

Quinn smirked. “Didn’t I?” In all honestly, she felt like she did sign up for that. Yes, she had been annoyed with it recently, but she was over it. She knew Artie came with each and every one of her sisters. This marriage came with very little privacy, very little spare money for fun things, and almost none of the usual young couple things, but she would not trade it for the world.

Artie put her hand on Quinn’s hip and pulled her close. “I don’t want to overwhelm you with us. I know you always go with the flow, but you can say no and I’ll take all the flack from it.”

Quinn smiled. “Thanks for that, but you don’t need to fall on your sword for me.”

“I just don’t want you to get stressed out by them again. They’re not your kids and they’re not your responsibility.” Artie gave her a gentle caress.

“I know, but they’re yours and you’re mine, therefore they’re mine. Sometimes, I just need a break. Now is not one of those times.”

“Okay.”

“I don’t mind them being over. I just know you don’t want the Bug taking the bus here and who’s going to get the Piglet here because you know she’ll want to come if Juno starts up.”

Artie nodded. “You are such a trooper.”

Quinn was not sure about that. “I love them. I know what I signed up for and I don’t mind any of the pantheon, you know that.” She always looked at it as practice for when she had her own children and the pantheon were the sisters she never had. They were her family. Yes, every now and then she needed a break, but not all the time.

Artie kissed the side of her head and grinned. “I just want you to be sure before we end up with two more freeloaders over here.”

“Just remember those words when I want children.” Quinn winked at Artie, who jumped against her.

“Child.”

“Nope. Children.” Quinn felt like she might as well mess with Artie right now.

“We’ll talk about it.” Artie slipped away and Quinn laughed to herself, but then realized they really did need to talk about it. She wanted to start their family now that they had a house to put it in.

-8-8-8-8-

Night set in. The house was quiet and dark. Artie flopped down in the bed and grabbed Quinn to her. Quinn yelped and dropped the book she was reading. Artie laughed and tickled her. Quinn squealed and tried to get away, but her wiggling only made it worse.

“Stop! Stop!” Quinn begged, turning over, but not getting away.

Artie snorted. “Nope.” She wanted to get Quinn in a good mood before she talked about what was going to happen with her sisters. Yes, Quinn had no problem with her sisters, but she was not sure if Quinn understood there was a huge possibility of them seeing the younger half of the pantheon every day now.

“You’re gonna regret this!” Quinn vowed. It was not an idle threat.

Somewhere between when the tickling stopped and tomorrow evening, Quinn would get her back. Artie would enjoy her victory for now. So, she tickled Quinn for a while before settling on top of her and kissing her while she was still laughing. Quinn tried to push her away, but it was impossible.

“You can’t kiss your way out of this, hot lips. I will have my revenge,” Quinn said.

Artie smiled. “I know, but later. For now, enjoy me.”

Quinn moved her hand to the nape of Artie’s neck and played with the short hairs. The simple action made Artie purr and Quinn smiled. Artie took that as a signal to go in for another kiss. Quinn accepted it, returning it with a wonderful press of her lips. Then, she pulled away and Artie whined in disappointment.

“Can we call that revenge?” Artie hoped.

Quinn let loose a loud laugh. “You wish it would be that easy!”

“Oh, geez. Fine. I know I’m going to hate it when it finally comes. So, I’m just going to ruin your night and tell you from now on the Bug has the okay to come over whenever she feels like it and so the Piglet isn’t left out, she can come over whenever we bring her or whenever Nana or Granddad can bring her.”

“So, they basically live here now is what you’re saying?” The look in her eyes, like a deer in headlights.

Artie had a feeling it would end up like that. “Yeah. Are you okay with that?” Her stomach twisted and she was not sure why. Was her body reacting to the idea of her sisters living with them or Quinn’s reaction?

Quinn took a breath. “I saw it coming, but expecting it is…” She blew out a breath.

Artie rubbed Quinn’s shoulder. “I know it’s a lot. I can take it back at any time.”

“No, no, no. I can handle it. It’s fine. They can handle themselves. It’s fine.”

Artie nodded, even though she was not totally sure about that. It was not a good sign for Quinn to repeat herself like that. “Mom was fine with the idea because she knew they would spend the night over here and she likes that there’s someone with them.”

Quinn’s gaze narrowed on her. “You’re sure she’s okay with that?”

It was a good question. Even though her mother worked nights and slept during the day, the little bit of time she had with her daughters was precious. Anna liked to give into the girls’ because of that small amount of time she spent with them, though. This might have been her caving to what the pantheon desired.

Artie shrugged. “She said so. She didn’t sound upset or sad. I would know. She’s matured with us, Quinn. She won’t be upset with you over the girls being here. But, you get this? We’re basically home base for the pantheon now. There’s no coming in and finding me fixing the sink and telling me how heavy that wrench looks and how you can only pay me in kisses now. They’re going to be here, all the time. All the time.” The idea even scared her a little.

Quinn frowned. “Are you sure this is something you’re okay with? You sound reluctant. I mean, I know you being a second parent was basically forced on you and you accepted it, even now when it’s all out in the open and your mother doesn’t necessarily want you doing that anymore. You still carry that role because you love your family and you want to help. Do you want a break? I mean, I understand that. We both know I needed a break not too long ago and I haven’t been doing this nearly as long as you have. Do you need a break?”

“No. I just…” Artie sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Sometimes, I feel like I dragged you into this. I get that you love me and you love the girls, but this isn’t a normal life and sometimes I feel like you’re just grinning and bearing it. I say this because who wants to live with needy little people underneath them all day?”

Quinn laughed. “I do. That’s what having kids is about. I want that with you.”

Artie smiled. “I know, but you got poured into it from out the gate. Before we were even together, you had to deal with it.”

“Sometimes, I look back and I think we were together. We were just too stupid to realize it.”

“Probably.” Artie doubted she would ever figure out when she fell in love with Quinn, but Quinn had become special to her fairly early in their interactions. “But, you still got dragged into it.”

Quinn shook her head. “I most certainly did not. They loved me and I love them back. They accepted me immediately because of you. I want them because I love them and I love you. Besides, they’re not that little now. They can handle themselves for the most part.”

With a nod, Artie smiled. “You make a point and I’m so glad you love all of us.”

Quinn gave her a quick kiss. “So, do I get my tribe now?”

“We are not having a tribe. I’ve got one, maybe two kids tops left in me. No tribe.”

Quinn pouted to the point of poking out her bottom lip. “Aw, why not?”

“In all seriousness, even this thing with them coming to the house is one of the reasons. Too many kids require too much attention. Hell, I still hate to think of what might have happened with Tia if you weren’t around. The Bug thinks because she’s not little and cute anymore, we don’t want to hang out with her and since she’s not a ‘real teen’ yet we don’t think she’s old enough to do anything with us. Tia’s here now because she thought I hung out with the twins too much while they were here and I need to pay more attention to her. She was with us before because she thinks she owns you and she wants to own you because she felt like you were the only one who gave her positive attention through some pretty rough years. I don’t want to have to divide my attention like that.”

Quinn’s expression morphed into a weird frown. “Oh, baby. I didn’t know you felt so split like that. I can see your point.”

“I want to be able to give a kid all the attention they deserve. I don’t want to screw up with any more kids.”

Quinn caressed her cheek and kissed the end of her nose. “You haven’t screwed up with the pantheon. You know they don’t think that. They’re all happy to have you, including Tia. No matter what, you’ll always be their dad.”

Artie smiled at that, even though she never felt like “dad,” even if her sisters thought of her that way. She liked having a hand in who her sisters turned into. But, no, she did not want to do this for a tribe of people again. She wanted to be able to focus on their children and not have to wonder every few seconds where someone was, what they were up to, who had to do what, and more extracurricular activities than she could count or make it to.

“So, you really wanna have my babies?” Artie grinned. The idea was more flattering than Quinn accepting her proposal.

“Have, adopt. Whatever you want.” Quinn pushed up enough to kiss her again.

“Doesn’t matter to me. I just think its awesome you want to raise a family with me.”

“I can think of no other person I’d want to do this with.”

“So… does that mean I’m off the hook?”

Quinn snickered and popped Artie on the ass. “Nope. You are going to totally regret tickling me soon.”

Artie fell asleep on edge. In the morning, she would make sure to test any food or beverage item Quinn handed her and she might spend most of the day at the gym. That was probably the safest thing for her to do.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: some friction as the younger members of the pantheon have conflicting ideas on how to spend time with their favorite couple.


	26. Couldn’t You Tell

26: Couldn’t You Tell

“Hey, can we go here?” Diana asked, rushing into Quinn’s home office. It did not register to her that when Quinn was in her office, she was writing and not to be bothered, no matter how many times Artie told her. “Can we go here, please?” Her bounce could be heard in her voice as well as the squeak of the hardwood floor.

Quinn turned away from her computer to the child. “Go where?”

“Here!” She held up a flyer, a bright grin lighting up her face.

Quinn squinted as she read the flyer. Apparently, a mall quite some distance away set up a “winter wonderland” for the Christmas season. It would probably take an hour to get there and she hated to think about the size of the crowd, but they could make a day of it if it was something Diana really desired to do.

“Sure, I don’t see why we can’t go,” Quinn replied.

“Yes!” Diana jumped up and down, pumping her fist in the air. “Thank you!” She grabbed Quinn into a hug and gave her a kiss to the cheek before charging out of the room.

Quinn felt good inside since Diana was so excited. She went back to writing, but that did not last for long. She could hear the stomping before the disturbance arrived.

“I don’t want to go some kiddie wonderland thing!” Juno huffed.

“I never said you had to go to some kiddie wonderland thing. Piglet wants to go,” Quinn replied, continuing to type. She would not entertain this tantrum.

Juno growled. “Well, I don’t want to go.”

“Okay. You don’t have to go.” Quinn did not understand why Juno thought she needed to come. Diana was the one who made the request.

“Good, because I don’t want to. I’m not a baby anymore.”

“I never said you were. Please, don’t call the Piglet a baby or tease her for wanting to do this, though.” She hated that it needed to be said, but, yes, they had gotten to the portion of Juno’s life where she needed to be told not to pick on her younger sister.

Juno made a noise, but marched out of the room from what Quinn could tell. She was not sure what that was about, but did not let it bother her. She had work to finish up.

-8-8-8-8-

“Piglet, it is not _that_ cold. Why do you have on that coat?” Artie asked as she put on her own coat and shut the front room closet. She pulled her gloves out of her pocket, but did not put them on. Instead, she fished around her pocket more until she pulled out a black beanie.

Quinn waved her spouse off. “It’s supposed to get colder. I told her to wear that one.” Diana had obediently put on her thickest winter coat. Quinn had on her coat as well. “And maybe you want to put your gloves on,” she added since Artie had the items in her hand already.

“We’re going somewhere inside,” Artie replied as she put on her hat.

“Parts of it are outside and she might want to see that,” Quinn said. Apparently, her spouse had not read the flyer as closely as she had.

“Where are you going, Artie?” Juno asked from the sofa, neck craned as she watched them about to leave.

“She’s going to the mall with them, duh.” Tia scoffed from behind a book. She was tucked in tight at the edge of the sofa, far from Juno.

Juno poked out her lip. “But, I thought you were gonna watch the movie with me.” The pout was out full force, but Artie did not see as she was helping Diana loop her scarf correctly.

“When I come back. I said that. Tia, you know the number if something goes wrong. There’s money on the fridge if you need it and there’s food in the fridge,” Artie said.

“What? No!” Juno leaped up from the couch and rushed over to them. “So, you’re both going?” She looked between Quinn and Artie with wide, wet eyes.

“Yeah. The place looks fun and it’s in the mall, so we can get some holiday shopping done,” Artie replied with a shrug.

Juno pouted even more somehow. “But, I thought only Quinn and the Piglet were going. She only asked Quinn.” She pointed at Quinn.

Artie regarded Juno with a furrowed brow. “Yeah, and then they mentioned it to me and it sounded cool. I wanna check it out. Like I said, I’ll watch the movie with you when I come back. I definitely want to go see some live reindeer.”

“Yeah!” Diana jumped onto Artie’s back. “Do you think they’ll let us feed them?”

“I totally hope so. It sounds super cool.” Artie held up her hand for a high-five, which Diana enthusiastically delivered.

Artie genuinely did not seem to get Juno wanted to spend the day with her. It would seem it did not occur to her that her sisters came over the house to be with her. Artie always seemed to think Quinn was their favorite person on Earth and they wanted to be with her.

“Bug, maybe you want to come check out some reindeer, too?” Quinn asked, in case Juno now wanted to join them, but was too proud to ask.

Juno blinked. “Um… reindeer sounds cool. Would you wait for me?”

Quinn grinned. “Of course. Make sure you get your warmest coat.” Juno nodded and took off. Quinn turned her attention to Tia. “Are you going to be here by yourself?”

“I got my book. I’m good.” Tia waved her book for them to see.

“So, you don’t want to come?” Quinn wanted to make sure Tia was not playing it cool.

“Nope. Me and this book have a good rhythm.”

Quinn laughed. Tia was very studious. She was interested in her classes and soccer. Nothing else. Quinn did not hold that against her. It kept Artie from going crazy, worrying over who Tia might be dating.

“Come on, let’s go!” Diana jumped up, causing Artie to fall forward since she was still on Artie’s back.

“We’re waiting for your sister,” Artie replied and she gave Diana a light slap on the butt.

Diana yelped. “Hey!”

“Be patient,” Artie said.

“But, she didn’t even wanna go before,” Diana replied.

“Maybe she didn’t think about feeding reindeer like we did,” Artie said.

Quinn smiled as Diana accepted that. Juno came back bundled up properly and they were off for the winter wonderland. And, of course, it was good that they brought Juno along as she had a blast. There was ice-skating and rides and all three sisters very much enjoyed feeding the reindeer. They almost lost track of the girls when they spotted an ice sculpture competition.

“This thing is really cool. Why haven’t we ever done this before?” Artie asked, holding Quinn’s hand.

“One, it’s new. Two, we wouldn’t have done it if the Piglet hadn’t gotten her hands on that flyer,” Quinn replied.

Artie nodded. “This thing is awesome and I’m so happy I came. I can’t believe the Bug didn’t want to go to this.”

Quinn gave her spouse a sidelong look. “You’re kidding, right? How are you always so oblivious about stuff like this? The Bug wanted to spend the time with you by herself and she was willing to let the Piglet have me all to herself with something cool like this to do it.”

Artie’s brow wrinkled. “What? I thought she just figured this would be kiddie.”

Quinn put her hand over her face for a moment. “That was the excuse. If she read the flyer, she knew what was going on here. She just wants to hang out with you. They all do, which is why Diana begged you to come to this with us, even though I was already going.” It had not taken much to convince Artie to tag along, but Diana had groveled regardless.

Artie nodded. “Okay.” She looked at her sisters, who were enchanted with the unfinished ice sculpting. “I’m glad they want to hang out with me, you, us, and each other. I want them to remember they always have friends in this family.”

Quinn grinned and bumped her spouse with her hip. “And you wonder why I want to have your babies.”

Artie pulled her close. “Imagine doing this with two toddlers instead of a teen and an almost-teen.”

“I think I would enjoy it.” They did things like this with Juno and Diana when they were younger and she liked it then, just as she liked it now. The idea of doing things like this with their own children made her heart flutter.

“I sense a serious conversation about this in our near future.”

Quinn had to nod. “For now, let’s let them play and then do a little shopping.” Their family plans would keep for a while longer. Quinn did not mind.

They had a good day, ending their stroll in the winter wonderland with large cups of hot cocoa. They managed to get a little Christmas shopping done, picked up some dinner, and returned home. Quinn took a step back as the sisters all crowded around Tia, telling her all about their day. Artie also handed Tia a mug of hot chocolate, which was definitely cold. Tia did not seem to mind, sipping it throughout the story.

“This sounds like a really fun place. Maybe I’ll talk my friends into going,” Tia said.

“Make sure you feed the reindeer. They’re cute up close,” Juno replied with a grin.

Tia nodded and listened as her younger sisters went on and on about their day. Quinn put away the light shopping they did and plated dinner, chicken and rice, for everyone before joining them. Juno and Diana were squished in on either side of Artie at the end of the couch. Quinn knew there was no way for her to get in there, so she took a spot in the free space between the sisters. When the girls were done talking, Artie started a movie, and somehow Quinn ended up cuddled with all of the sisters. It was a nice end to a nice day.

Later on, they found out Tia did go to the winter wonderland with her friends and the group of sixteen-year-olds were just as excited about it as the young pair. All was good.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Artie and Quinn discuss her sisters never going home.


	27. The Heart Is

27: The Heart Is

Artie needed to finish up some notes after her last client and then she had to figure out what she would do about food. She forgot her lunch at home, more concerned with to hustling the girls out of the door than anything else. She forgot what a hassle they could be when they did not want to go to school and what she used to be a pro at she needed to relearn now that her sisters wanted to spend so much time at the house. They practically lived there for the past couple of weeks. She was not sure if this was a good idea and it was more of a concern for them and for Quinn than for herself.

It was one thing to visit, even if it was often, but it was another thing for her and Quinn to have to get her sisters fed in the morning, out the door to school, and things like that. Her house with Quinn could be a second home, but it should not be _home_. Her sisters had a home. She got on the phone with her mother.

“Hey, Mom, are you really okay with the girls not being home?” Artie asked after the usual pleasantries. She felt a little bad because she woke her mother up, but there were very few moments for her to call without that happening.

“If it makes them happy,” her mother answered.

Artie scoffed. “Mom, give me an honest answer. Are you really okay with the girls not being home?” She suspected she knew the answer, but she did not want to come right out and say it.

“Why? Are you bothered with them being at your house?”

“This isn’t about me, but to be honest, I’m thinking this might not be the best thing for them. They’re acting like they moved in, like they live at my house. It’s beyond them having rooms or things like that. There’s something more and it’s like they live here. They shouldn’t live at my house. They’re visiting.” She could not quite put into words what was wrong with this, but it felt wrong.

“You’re right. But, I think I like the idea you’re home with them when they’re at your house.”

It seemed stable and balanced for the girls to have adults home with them at normal hours. Artie understood that. “But, Nana and Granddad are home with the girls if I’m not or Quinn isn’t there.” It was time to put her foot down. She would be the bad guy if necessary. “Mom, we can’t do this. We can’t cater to them like this. I don’t want them to think home is my house and only my house. Home is home. My house can be home, too, but not the main home.”

Her mother sighed. “You’re right. You’re right. I’m depending on you too much again. Now, I’m basically letting you two parent them. That’s not fair to you or even them. I’m sorry. I just thought you and the girls would like it.”

“I do like it and they like it, but this is already too much too fast.” Artie’s stomach quivered and her throat burned. It felt like she would throw up. _I feel like I’m throwing them away_. She knew that was not the case, but her belly and chest refused to believe it.

“It is. I’m sorry I put this on you like this. I should’ve said no.”

It was obvious now, but Artie did not bring it up. She and her mother were much more self-aware now, but still sometimes they fell into old habits. This was a huge fall, though.

“I should’ve thought this through more,” Artie replied.

“We’ll both talk to them about this,” her mother said.

“That would be best.” This way neither of them walked off the bad guy and it showed how much her mother had grown. Years ago, Anna would have let her be the one to tell the girls something that would upset them.

They ended the call and Artie sighed, rubbing her forehead. She was used to denying her sisters things. She was the “no” parent, but this was something more than that. It felt like she was telling them to go home, which technically she was. It felt like something more, though, something heavier. She felt like a monster.

“Artie,” Quinn’s voice echoed through the room.

Artie blinked and turned to the door. Quinn was in the doorway. Why? She did not recall having a date set up with her wife. There were bags in Quinn’s hand.

“Princess, what are you doing here?” Artie asked.

“Surprise lunch.”

Artie smiled. She needed this. “You’re so damn amazing.”

Quinn giggled and sat down across from Artie at her desk. She pulled out food containers and Artie groaned at the smell. Quinn popped the top open for her, revealing grilled chicken with dirty rice and corn bread. Artie was not sure how she held in her drool.

“Oh, my god, you went to _Southern Belle_ for food. You are an angel,” Artie said.

“Something told me you might need it,” Quinn replied with an impish smirk.

Artie shook her head. “The way I was out of my head trying to get the girls out the door this morning?” This morning was particularly difficult. Christmas break was right around the corner and the girls decided they should get an early start without asking Artie if it was all right. Making sure they got ready for school was why she left her lunch behind.

“They are testing your patience right now,” Quinn said as she opened her own food. There were vegetables next to her rice and she dumped over half of them right on top of Artie’s chicken.

Artie nodded and ate for a moment, humming as she savored every bit of lunch. “I called Mom.”

“About them?”

“Yeah. I think we’re doing this wrong,” Artie said.

Quinn ate some of her food and then chewed on her fork. “I think you’re right. There’s something not quite right here. I’m not sure what it is, though.”

“Yeah. So, me and Mom are going to talk to them. You want in or do you want to save your sanity?” Artie asked.

“You know I want to be there. We’re all in this together. Do you know what you’re going to say?”

Artie sighed and rubbed her forehead. “No, not really. I can’t even pinpoint exactly what’s wrong here. I just know it’s wrong. I want the girls to feel at home in our house, but there’s something off here. It’s like our house has become home and like they’re not going to bother with their actual home or something.”

“It’s like we’ve adopted them… or they adopted us,” Quinn said, her brow furrowing.

“Something like that. It’s like they’ve cast off the old ways.” Artie rubbed her forehead again, harder than before. She felt like things would go better if she could put things into serious words that made sense.

“We’ll figure out what to say.” Quinn reached over and caressed Artie’s arm.

Artie smiled and sat up taller. She felt a little better about things since Quinn agreed with her. She knew her sisters would make this difficult, but it was for the best. So, she had lunch with Quinn while trying to strategize what they would say to the girls.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn was not sure if having this meeting in their living room was the best, but Artie and Anna seemed fine with it. It felt a little self-defending somehow. Quinn was only there as support, backup, so she did not say anything about it. The girls were there, making plans for what they would do to the Christmas tree when they got a chance to work on it. Quinn would let them decorate after the talk, if they still wanted to. It would give them something to do as they processed what their mother and eldest sister said.

“Mommy, you see the tree I picked with Artie?” Diana asked, as if it was possible to miss the giant, lush tree in the living room.

“It is a very beautiful tree. If only it had a twin at home,” Anna replied from her spot at the end of the sofa.

Diana’s brow furrowed, but Tia was the one who spoke up. “There’s no Christmas tree at home?”

Anna gave them a sad smile. “There’s no one there to buy one.”

Juno scowled. “Artie always buys one.” She glared at Artie. “How come you didn’t buy a tree for the house?”

“I was supposed to carry two trees at once?” Artie asked, motioning to herself with both hands. “Besides, who would see the tree at home?”

The three younger sisters frowned and glanced at each other. Maybe this talk would not be as hard as Quinn imagined. Glancing at Artie beside her, she was not sure Artie thought that. There were already stress lines under Artie’s eyes.

“We haven’t been home in a long time,” Diana whispered.

“No, you haven’t,” Artie agreed.

“Is that why you’re here, Mom?” Tia asked.

Anna nodded. “Yes. Artie and I have been talking and while we agree it’s fine for you guys to be over here as much as you want and feel like this is home, you have to go home sometimes.” The girls looked at each other as silence blanketed the living room.

Diana rubbed her hands together and Quinn feared what might come out of the little girl’s mouth. But, Diana went over to her mother and curled up next to her. She hugged Anna and Anna hugged her back.

“I’m sorry if you got lonely, Mommy,” Diana said.

Tears welled up in Anna’s eyes. “Aw, baby. It’s okay. I know how much you love being around Artie, Quinn, and your other sisters.”

“So…” Juno’s eyes drifted from her mother to Quinn to Artie. “Does this mean we can’t come back here anymore?”

“What? No!” Artie leaned forward, throwing her arms around Juno. “Of course not, Bug. You guys know you’re always welcomed here. My concern is that you guys start treating this as home and you forget about actual home. You know, this is a house, yes, like Granddad and Nana’s house is a house. It’s a home away from home just like their house. But, Mom’s house is _the_ house. Mom’s house is _home_.”

Tia and Juno looked at each other. Juno ran a hand through her hair while Tia turned back to them with tremble to her chin. She took a deep breath, but it did not help the quiver in her face.

“I get what you mean, but you’re here,” Tia said. The way her voice cracked made Quinn’s heart follow suit.

“Well, yes, I’m here, but you know me and Quinn are over the house all the time. Almost everyday. Granddad and Nana are over there way more than they’re here, too. We’re all there. That’s the thing. We’re all there,” Artie replied, like it was a revelation. Maybe it was. Maybe she was finally able to pinpoint what was wrong with the girls practically living with them.

“Can’t we all be here?” Juno asked.

“No, not in the same way. We can’t. Look, guys, you know we love you and I don’t care how often you’re over here, but we all have to remember that Mom’s house is _the_ house. Mom’s house is where we all are. Our spirits are there and always will be. We have history there, roots, and everything that glued us together as a family. I want you guys to grow up surrounded by all of us, taking all of us in, surrounded by our love, support, and energy. The energy there is something we all need,” Artie answered.

“But, we can still stay here, too, right?” Juno asked.

“Yes, of course. But, none of this two weeks here, like we need to fill out change of address cards for you,” Artie replied. “You can stay here, but you live there. You live with Mom.”

The girls nodded. It was like they understood, even if they did not cognitively get what Artie meant. They could feel it in their hearts that Artie was right. They had to be able to because Quinn could and she had not spent her life in that house like they did.

“So, I propose we all go out and buy a Christmas tree for the house because Christmas is in, like, a week,” Artie pointed out. While Christmas was more than a week away, they did need to get a tree for Anna’s house and decorate it. It would make for a good bonding moment for all of them.

While no one cheered, no one objected either. They all just got up and went Christmas tree shopping, like everything was normal. And, Quinn had learned after years with this family that when they acted like everything was normal, then everything was normal. The girls understood as best they could what happened and accepted it without throwing anything that looked like a tantrum. They were so good, so mature. It made for a nice outing.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: A New Year’s celebration with the twins.


	28. Happy New Year

28: Happy New Year

Christmas went smoothly. Anna’s house got a tree and all the presents went under it. The whole family celebrated Christmas there, including Vega and Yvonne. Somehow, it felt even warmer than it had in the past.

The twins came home a few days before Christmas after spending their first week or so of vacation with their significant others’ families. From the way they told it, everything went well. Raine and Mysha were expected to pop up in a week or so. For now, all Quinn and Artie had to worry about was where they were celebrating New Year’s Eve. Well, more Quinn and Yvonne had to figure out where they would drag Artie and Vega to celebrate.

“Can we go with you guys?” Aphrodite asked, flopping down on the couch next to Quinn and Artie. Quinn was on the phone with Yvonne. Venus dropped right next to her twin.

“We don’t even know where we’re going. We’ll see before I say anything. I’m not taking you two to a bar,” Artie replied, shaking her head.

“Why? It’s not like we—Ow!” Aphrodite hissed after Venus punched her in the arm, probably to stop her from admitting they had been in a bar before, or worse.

Artie glanced over that for the sake of her sanity no doubt. “I don’t know how you guys feel about lesbian clubs.”

Venus shrugged. “We’ve been. They’re clubs, but with way more women.” She made a face, which Aphrodite mirrored.

“Well, yeah. Not fans of clubs?” Artie asked.

“They’re all right. It’s not something we want to do all the time,” Venus replied.

“Or most of the time, really,” Aphrodite added. 

Venus nodded. “We’re not really club people, you know? Bad at dancing.” That got a chuckle from Artie.

Quinn turned her attention from them back to the phone as Yvonne started talking. “Okay, so I looked up a few places that could be interesting.”

“Can we bring the twins to them? If not, that narrows things down,” Quinn said.

“Who said any goddesses of love could hang out with us?” Vega huffed over the phone.

“We can hear you complaining,” Aphrodite said.

“I can hear you _not_ crashing our party,” Vega replied.

“Artie said we can come. You can’t overrule our dad,” Venus said with an amused smile.

“I said ‘we’ll see,’” Artie chimed in, rolling her eyes.

“None of this is us hearing the options for tonight,” Quinn pointed out.

“If we are, in fact, bringing additional goddesses, I think we might all like a spot called _Jupiter_. It’s got a space theme or something. It’s supposed to be really nice and they have a signature drink that’s I quote ‘out of this world.’ And, there’s good music with dancing,” Yvonne reported.

“If it’s not too over the top, I don’t mind,” Artie said, eyes on the twins.

“That name is stupid,” Vega grumbled.

“You think everything is stupid, which is why you don’t have a say in the matter. So, we’re going to _Jupiter_. I guess we’re taking two cars, then,” Yvonne said.

Quinn glanced at Artie, who nodded. “Two cars it is. Text us the directions and we’ll meet you there at eleven.”

“Sounds like a plan. See you there.” Yvonne disconnected the call.

“All right. So, you two can come, but there will be ground rules,” Artie said to the twins, who groaned. Aphrodite put her hands over her face and Venus ducked her head down for a moment.

“Come on, Art. We’re adults!” Venus pointed to herself and Aphrodite, who nodded as backup.

“I understand that, but you’re also going out with me and we all know I’ll be more comfortable and more agreeable if we set some ground rules,” Artie replied.

Quinn regarded the twins and then turned to her spouse, giving Artie’s knee a little squeeze. “What if we give them a shot first? Let’s see how they behave outside. If you freak out, then you know there should be rules next time, but if they’re fine, you can see how mature they are.”

Artie stared at her and Quinn hoped her true message made it. They should trust the twins for now. Maybe they would be fine out and about. It was best to see before putting restraints on them. It would also help Artie understand she could relax when it came to the twins. She could see they were adults and it would boost them up if Artie showed faith in them. They seemed to be doing well in their early adulthood now that they had their relationship woes under control.

Artie’s shoulders slumped. “Okay, fine.”

-8-8-8-8-

 _Jupiter_ was decorated in a several shades of red with golden rings sprinkled here and there for decor. The signature drink was known as the Big Red Spot, which looked like a mudslide, but with strawberry and red velvet ice cream. Artie could vaguely make out the twins talking about trying one and she bit back words to scold them for drinking. She drank at their age and she was the one driving home, so it was not like she had to worry over that. Besides, if it was one drink, it would not be too bad.

“Relax, love,” Quinn said, clutching Artie’s hand as they scanned for seats. It did not look like they would be lucky enough for that.

“Drag Art onto the dance floor and loosen her up while we try to find some place to sit,” Yvonne said.

Artie was about to object. She wanted to keep an eye on the twins, but Quinn was not having it. Artie was on the dance floor, a spot of black in a sea of red, as red was part of the dress code tonight for entrance into _Jupiter_. Artie had on a scarlet shirt with black slacks, a black vest, and her black bowler hat. Quinn had on a blood red cocktail dress that clung to every curve and came to her knees.

“Focus on me and how awesome our New Year’s kiss will be,” Quinn said, putting Artie’s hands on her hips.

Artie did not have a choice in dancing with her wife. Sighing, she knew she needed to calm down. The twins probably went to clubs and bars and things at school all the time. They were not babies anymore. They had grown up. She had to let go a little and that was a little easier to do with her hands on Quinn’s body, even though there was a knot in her stomach. The knot loosened with every passing moment she could feel against her, though.

They danced until they worked up a sweat and then set off to find the rest of their party. Somehow, Yvonne and Vega found a table. Artie suspected Vega might have threatened some people for it, as it had happened before. The twins were with them and each were nursing a Big Red Spot drink.

“Vega, what the hell, man?” Artie motioned to the drink in front of her best friend as Quinn sat down and she followed.

“It’s virgin. It’s basically a strawberry milkshake with pink sprinkles and red velvet cookie crumbs,” Vega said. “I don’t want to know how they made the whipped cream red, but I have a feeling I’m drinking a lot of dye right now.” She stuck her tongue out, which was a deeper red than usual, making a sour face.

“I actually like the virgin one more than this one,” Yvonne said as she took a sip of her drink. Hers was in a different style glass, more like a goblet. The twins glasses matched Vega, so they probably had a virgin version of the drink, like Vega.

“Well, let’s give it a test.” Quinn pulled the drinks saved for her and Artie close. Quinn’s was in a goblet, so it was probably alcoholic. She took a long sip from the straw and blew out a breath. “Wow, that is a lot of liquor.”

“Liquor and sugar. Vega, we’ll be living at the gym tomorrow.” Artie tried hers and found the drink to be as Vega described. It was a delicious milkshake, though.

Vega shook her head. “I’m not finishing it.”

“The hell you’re not! Do you know how much that cost?” Yvonne replied.

“I think for the safety of everyone involved, you better finish the drink,” Aphrodite said, snickering.

“I might actually be able to finish it for you. This is really good and, yeah, better than the one with alcohol,” Venus said. She was halfway done with hers, apparently making use of the sundae spoons the drinks came with.

Artie’s eyebrow went up. “You had the one with alcohol?”

“I gave them a sip of mine, so they could see they got the better end of the deal,” Yvonne jumped in.

Artie shrugged and Quinn caressed her thigh, causing her to sigh. It was a sip. It did not matter. She tried to enjoy her drink, but it was way too sweet. She would gift it to Venus as soon as Venus was done with hers. Before she could get to that, though, the twins were off, enjoying the place.

“This is nice,” Quinn said to Yvonne as they both cuddled into their spouses.

“Tega, you always find these really interesting places,” Artie said, arm around Quinn’s waist.

Yvonne shrugged. “This one I heard about because of the drink. I just checked to find out if it was LGBTQ friendly, but I had a coworker who sang the praises of the Big Red Spot. I should’ve known it was potent just from the way she was talking about it.” She took another long sip of her drink. While _Jupiter_ was not a gay bar, they had noticed several same-sex couples and no one stared at Artie, trying to figure out her sex.

“So potent you can’t stop drinking it.” Quinn smirked before taking a pull from her own straw.

“Who thought to put liquor in a strawberry milkshake? The villain!” Yvonne licked her lips.

Artie laughed and enjoyed a little more of her drink before sliding it to Quinn. Quinn smiled, but did not stop drinking her own Big Red Spot. Her eyes drifted to find the twins automatically. Having everyone wear red made it hard, but Artie prided herself on having radar for her sisters. They were in a crowd, dancing with another group of women. Everything seemed fine, so she turned back to Quinn.

The friends conversed until several screens in the place showed a countdown. It was ten seconds to midnight. Artie was about to scan for the twins, but Venus and Aphrodite made their way back to the table on their own. They grabbed their drinks, even though they were empty, ready to toast with everyone else. As screams of “Happy New Year!” rang out, the group clanged their glasses together. Artie shared a kiss with her wife, which was as amazing as Quinn promised, and then decided to make a proper toast.

“To a new year and new adventures, small and big,” Artie said with a smile at her sisters. They did not need rules and she had to learn to let go, her big adventure. They had life to live, their big adventure.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: serious baby talk between the two couples.


	29. That’s For Me

29: That’s For Me

Quinn yawned as she flopped down on the couch next to Yvonne. They were in Quinn’s living room, trying to catch up on a show they watched together, but had not been able to properly bribe their spouses into watching with them. Thankfully, they had each other.

“Did you kill all the children? Is that why you two were alone today?” Yvonne asked, playfully glancing around the empty house.

“No. Tia’s dad took her somewhere. Juno’s dad is in town and took her somewhere. And, so Diana wouldn’t feel left out their grandparents took her somewhere. I love them to pieces, but it was nice to sleep in today. Artie brought me an omelet in bed with some tea and I got to stay in my pajamas.” Quinn was still in her pajamas because Yvonne and Vega did not care. Hell, sometimes they came over in their pajamas.

Yvonne sighed. “I want days like that.”

Quinn’s brow wrinkled. “Today is a day like that.” She motioned around them. No, Yvonne was not in her pajamas, but she was comfortable and they did not have to worry about any younger people interrupting them.

“For you. I rarely have a full house. Every now and then, I can babysit for someone, but it’s not the same. So, most days, I can sleep in and stay in my pajamas if I don’t have work. The only person who needs my full attention is Vega more often than not. I guess I want more.”

Quinn nodded. “You’re ready for babies.”

Yvonne blushed. “Can you blame me? Vega and I have been together for almost ten years. We’re both pretty established in our careers. We have a house, two cars. What’s left? I want a family with her.”

“You don’t have to sell the idea to me. I understand. I haven’t been with Artie as long, but I know from the way I feel about her sisters and how I don’t mind them here that I want a family with Artie. She and I have discussed it some. Have you and Vega talked about it more?”

“We have. She surprised me by telling me she didn’t mind carrying if we decide to go that route.”

Quinn blinked. “Really?” It was hard to picture gym-rat, muscular Vega pregnant, but it said a lot that she offered.

Yvonne smiled, a little blush coloring her cheeks. “Yes. She says she doesn’t want me to feel like I have to do all the work here. She also thinks it would be easier for her since she has a lot of leeway at work since she’s working with her father. We’ll see. We talked about adopting, too.” 

Quinn rubbed her chin. “I wouldn’t mind adopting, but I think I want to experience pregnancy.”

“I think I do, too.”

Quinn glanced behind her, eyes at the basement door. Artie and Vega were down there, possibly lifting weights in Artie’s home gym. Were they ready for this? Ready for families? Was Artie ready for another baby after having helped raise five? Was Artie ready to really be a dad? Not just one in perception or responsibility, but to take on everything it meant to be a parent? 

“We should figure this out and then we could get pregnant at the same time,” Yvonne said.

“Could you imagine if our kids are life long best friends like Artie and Vega?” Quinn wanted that so badly.

Yvonne scoffed. “Best friends. Our kids are cousins or nothing at all.”

Quinn grinned and pressed her hands together. “Right! Because Artie and Vega are brothers. This would be so awesome.” Her heart hammered in her chest at the thought. Her child would be able to have so much love, so many kind aunts and at least one cousin who would undoubtedly be there no matter what. “I want my kid to be surrounded by wonderful people and loving family.” 

“Well, you married into just that.”

“I know.”

“So, maybe we should really talk to them about this and then get started, huh?” Yvonne wiggled her eyebrows. Quinn smiled. She would love that.

-8-8-8-8- 

“I can hear them talking about babies again,” Vega said, stepping away from the basement stairs. She had been on her way up for more water, but the baby talk seemed to give her pause.

“What did they say?” Artie asked from her space at her desk. She wanted to get a little work done while she had the basement to herself. Vega had been keeping busy with the dumbbells by the wall. Her home gym was pretty small with a rack of free weights, a treadmill, and a heavy bag.

Vega scratched the back of her neck. “I think we’re about to have kids.”

Artie shrugged. “It’s about that time for you, isn’t it? Let’s be serious, if you had the equipment, Tega would’ve been pregnant a long time ago.”

Vega sighed and returned to her seat beside Artie. “Yeah. I think I’d prefer a happy accident. You know, it wouldn’t give me a chance to get lost in here.” She tapped the side of her head with two fingers.

“You’ve had a lot of years to overthink this situation. You’ve talked about it a bunch with her. Hell, we’ve talked about it a bunch. You know I’m ready for us to have little cousins running around, driving us crazy. You know your dad is way ready to be a grandpa.”

Vega sighed. “I know. Tega says she’s okay with adoption, but I know she wants to have a baby. If she does and she wants more than one, I told her I’d carry the next.”

Artie gave her friend a sidelong glance. “You don’t want to adopt after the first one?”

Vega scratched her head. “It doesn’t really matter to me, but I feel like there could be all kinds of problems down the road to have a kid that’s biologically related to one of us and another that isn’t. I don’t want that type of teenage angst. And with my luck, it won’t be teenage and it’ll be both of them making each other miserable along with causing me and Yvonne grief.”

Artie frowned. “You are such a pessimist.”

“I’m a realist.”

“Yeah, but I have five sisters and not a dad in common between us and never have we brought it up in a moment of anything, no matter how angry one might be. You could raise kids like that, kids who never think about blood bonds.”

Vega blew out a breath. “Or I could screw it up.”

“Damn it, could you not? You’re seriously a downer.” Artie felt depressed just hearing Vega’s worries, which she thought were totally unfounded. Vega had not been raised to make people feel like she feared. She had a big heart and could only pass that love on. 

“Yeah, well, I know how life can be. It’s either adoption for all or adoption for none.”

Artie turned her mouth up. “I wish you didn’t think that way. You’re way more awesome at things than you think. You always made me feel like family and made my sisters feel that way. We’re bonded by more than blood. You know that. You helped make that happen. That’s in you.”

Vega waved the words off. “What about you?”

Artie shook her head. “I only want one and Quinn is quite eager to carry my baby.”

“I’m surprised you even want the one. How are you not completely over it yet?” Vega patted her on the shoulder.

“This wouldn’t be a good time to be over it considering I still have three underage and two in college who need all the help they can get. Parenting is life long job, but I don’t want to have kids around indefinitely. I’m also not in the mood to be watching one toddler and wondering where the other one went or why is it so quiet or anything along those lines. I’ve heard stories that one is easier. I’d like to see this.”

Vega chuckled. “Have I ever told you how much I admire you for being able to raise five kids while you were a kid yourself?”

Artie scoffed. “You know better than a lot of people that sometimes you’re just born for a role.”

“I don’t think I was born for anything. I do what I want. I’ve been lucky despite losing my mother. I found you at a young age and you’re loyal as fuck to the point where when you say you’re my brother, I know it’s true. You’re the reason I’d be fine with adopting. Doubling back to what you were saying before, I know blood doesn’t always mean family. You’ve been with me from the start.”

A smile tugged at Artie’s lips. “I feel lucky I found you, too. I mean, who the hell else would’ve gone along with me being a boy for most of my life? Who the hell would stand by me through all the high school bullshit? You’ve always had my back. Brother doesn’t cover it. I just say that because it’s the closest word we’ve got for what you are to me. It’s not like you’re an extension of me or anything. It’s just deep, down past the soul.” Artie did not think there were words in any language to ever describe her bond with Vega. 

Vega nodded and punched Artie in the shoulder because that was how she was. “I want our kids to have that. I want the word brother or sibling to not even scratch the surface for them.”

Artie nodded. “We’ll get them there.” 

“I can’t wait for my dad to be able to hold a grandkid, you know? I know they won’t make up for the fact that he never got to have more than me, but he has a lot of love in him. Love and support. I think about if I had anyone else for a father and I get this horrible, sick feeling in my stomach.”

“Your dad is otherworldly. He’s something beyond human. I’m happy he’s been in my life, too. Someone beyond my granddad to show me how to be a man.”

Vega chuckled. “He’s proud of the person you’ve become.”

“He tells me all the time. I always wanted my mom to find us a father like him.”

“My dad’s one of a kind.”

Artie nodded, as that was the gospel truth. “He damn sure is, but I want to be a dad like him.”

Vega laughed. “I wanna say ‘me, too,’ but I sort of want to be a mom, so…”

Artie punched Vega in the bicep. “Shut up. I know you want to be a mom, but there’s no shame in modeling your style from your dad’s. I mean, that guy was so supportive. He was cool with me being a boy and talked to me about it while my own Nana was freaking out about it.”

Mahmoud never made Artie feel weird when she identified as a boy. He never made her feel weird when she got a little more confused as a teen. And, best of all, he never made her feel weird when she decided she was gender fluid, able to say she was a woman, but still feel masculine in many ways. He accepted her as a person, everything that came with her and all. He was a great guy.

Vega smacked Artie’s shoulder with the back of her hand. “I remember back when you were terrified to come out to your mom and grandparents. You know, it never once occurred to me to be scared to tell my dad? I don’t think there’s ever a time when he yelled at me. Whenever he was upset, he always let me know it was because he was scared over something happening to me or just disappointed I didn’t make good decisions. He understood my sexuality wasn’t a decision. He just accepted it was part of me, just like he never acted like your gender was a decision.”

“He told me once he researched people like me. He didn’t understand and he wanted to understand because he worries about me and how people might react, but I never _felt_ like he didn’t understand.” 

“I definitely want to be a parent like him. But, I also want to be a parent like your mom.”

Artie arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

Vega shook her head, like she was reprimanding her friend. “Art, she had you under threat of being disowned. She loved you _that_ much. We know she never harbored dreams your idiot father would ever come back to her. She had you because she loved you. Despite some of the things she’s done, we could never deny she loved all of you and wanted to take the best care of you. She works so hard to keep a roof over your heads and keep good food in your stomachs. She’s one of those parents who wouldn’t eat, so you could eat. I admire that.”

Artie rubbed her chin. “You know, I never think about that stuff. My mom is strong in a lot of ways, but I guess since I deal with the weak parts a lot, I forget how strong she is.” Yes, she loved her mother, but she had a tendency to focus on the bad more than the good. 

“The one thing I think our parents manage and I want us to do, too, they make sure the next generation has it better than they did. Despite all your mom’s screaming at you for whatever reason, you never feared she’d disown you.”

“Nope.”

“And the only hardship I’ve ever endured is always out of my father’s control. He managed to protect me without sheltering me. They gave us awesome educations and helped us get awesome jobs. Hell, we’re homeowners before thirty. They did a good job. Now, it’s our turn. Well, my turn. It’s been your turn since you were seven.”

Artie blew out a breath. “Twenty years of parenting and I’m not even thirty yet. How many are you planning anyway?”

“We talked about three. I feel like in this day and age, four is excessive and Tega agreed. Besides, we see how it is with you and we’re not sure we’re totally equipped to handle a true crew. But, I think making it to three will be based on how the first one goes. We talked about having them close together, like two years apart, so when they’re older, they’ll hang out.” 

“Sounds good. I can see why you offered to carry in the middle, too. Gives Tega a good time to heal in between the first and third.”

“Exactly. I’m not a total idiot despite what you all like to believe.” 

Artie laughed. “You know I love and respect you. I never think you’re an idiot. I think you are belligerent as hell. Sometimes, you’re a little too negative, but I never think you’re an idiot. If anything, you think the world is stupid and sometimes, you’re not wrong.”

Vega smiled. “I look forward to raising non-idiots with you.” 

“Oh, god. I’m already imagining you when they go to school. They’re gonna beg Tega to never let you go up for parent-teacher conferences.”

“And you know she’ll probably stop me, but then take my dad and confuse the teachers.”

“This is true. I look forward to this new chapter of our lives, too. I want this.” Artie knew in some abstract sense she always wanted something like this, but now that they talked about it, she wanted it in reality. She wanted to raise a family along side Vega. She wanted their roots to dig in deeper and grow into a mighty, eternal redwood. 

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: on the road to baby-making.


	30. Keep On Shining

30: Keep On Shining

Quinn rubbed her eyes as she looked at her computer screen and cuddled closer to Artie. “So, what do you think?”

Artie scratched her eyebrow. “I didn’t think this would cost so much.”

“Yeah, every path we can take is quite expensive,” Quinn said as she stroked Artie’s abdomen for no other reason than she liked touching her spouse. “Even adopting will be expensive and possibly take a long time.”

“I know.” Sighing, Artie rubbed her face. “It’s funny how so many people can do this for free. Hell, without even much thought. If only I was biologically a guy, we wouldn’t even have this problem.”

Quinn tapped her spouse’s thigh. “Well, you’re not a biological guy. So, what are we going to do?”

Artie put her arm around Quinn’s shoulder and flicked Quinn’s long hair with her finger. “You really want to carry a baby?”

Quinn nodded. “I do. Preferably yours.”

Artie’s brow furrowed. “Mine? Whatever baby we have is gonna be mine. I don’t have any plans of leaving. Unless this is your way of kicking me out.” She gave a shocked gasp.

Quinn sucked her teeth and shoved Artie in the shoulder. “Be serious.”

“You really want to have one of my eggs implanted in you?” Artie winced, like she did not want that.

“Are you upset that you actually have eggs?” Quinn assumed that had to be the reason Artie looked like she was about to vomit all over their living room.

Artie sneered at her. “You know how I feel about that.”

“Well, I want your eggs.” Quinn scratched Artie’s belly. She could not rationally explain it, but she wanted to carry Artie’s baby.

“This could almost be creepy. What if I want a biological baby from you?”

Quinn smirked at her. “You’re willing to carry my baby?”

Artie let loose a loud snort. “Not funny, princess.”

“I just feel like this gives us both a chance to be close to the baby. Your egg and I carry. I get to feel a bit of you growing inside of me and I get to nurture that bit.” Okay, maybe she could explain it.

Artie sighed, shoulders drooping. “I guess if that’s what you want to do. I mean, it doesn’t matter to me, except the egg part.” Artie did not want to give up eggs. She did not want to think about having eggs. The first time Quinn brought it up, she actually left the room.

“I’d really like to have that piece of you, my love.” Quinn went in for a quick kiss.

Artie still sulked. “I know, but I’d like a piece of you, too, if we’re going this route.”

“Let’s take a chance. We both get our eggs fertilized, implanted, and then we’ll go from there.” It did not matter to her, but the idea of carrying Artie’s biological child appealed to Quinn beyond what she explained. It made her heart flip and race. She would like to have a chance of that happening.

Artie frowned. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“I’m sure I want to carry your baby and I’m sure you have a desire for a tiny me to be walking around. This lets leave it up to chance. We’ll both love the baby no matter what, but this just gives us a chance for the little wishes our hearts make.” Quinn smiled.

Artie was not amused, wagging a finger at her wife. “No more Disney movies for you. I mean, _Pinocchio_ , really?”

Quinn stuck out her tongue. “I’ve got way more Disney movies in my future if we have this baby.”

Artie sighed, hand easing to Quinn’s abdomen. “It sounds like you know what you want to do. Vega and Yvonne have already found a fertility clinic they like and think we should use. If you’re really ready for this, I have no problem with it. I want a family with you and it doesn’t matter how it happens. If you want to get pregnant and have a baby, okay.” She dragged her blunt nails across Quinn’s stomach.

Quinn shivered. “Yeah?”

“Of course. We want to start a family and you want to carry a baby. Why would I object to this? I have no problem with pampering you and cuddling you while you have a baby. Whatever way we have the baby, it doesn’t matter to me, but I’d like to take care of you while you’re pregnant.”

Quinn smiled a bit. What would Artie be like with her once she got pregnant? She wanted to know. She wanted to experience pregnancy, but also wanted to experience what those around her would be like. Maybe if they had a second one, they could adopt.

“Is there any chance we could figure out how we’re going to have a second one?” Quinn asked.

Artie smirked. “Let’s get through this one first.” She kissed the side of Quinn’s head. Quinn expected that, but it never hurt to try.

-8-8-8-8-

Decisions made, Artie had no problem being there for Quinn as they went through the in vitro process. They had to find a donor they liked. For a minute, Artie entertained the thought of having Vega’s father, Mahmoud, donate, as she could not think of a better man and he clearly produced good people. But, that risked introducing unnecessary drama to all of their lives. Yvonne had a lot of cousins offering and they had no problems remaining anonymous. Turned out they were being overzealous, as Yvonne was getting her own eggs artificially inseminated and would not need them until Vega decided to carry. Again, using people they knew well ran the risk of introducing drama, even if they agreed to stay anonymous, so they declined as well.

In the end, they went with an anonymous donor. Artie did not have a problem with that. As far as she was concerned, she, the twins, and Diana existed because of anonymous donors. It was better than thinking their mother had actually picked the assholes who fathered them. Still, she liked to think she and her sisters were fine. Besides, at least with a donor, they got to look for qualities they liked. Quinn agreed, so they searched for a donor.

At first, Quinn wanted someone with traits similar to Artie, but in the end, they went with someone who had qualities they both liked. It was not as hard as Artie thought it would be. And now Quinn had to have the procedure.

Artie stayed by her side, but found herself absolutely dumbfounded and could hardly offer any verbal support. For some reason, this whole thing suddenly seemed surreal, like some drug-induced dream. Quinn was willing to have her baby. Quinn wanted to carry her baby. Quinn loved her so much, trusted her so much that she was willing to have a baby carrying Artie’s DNA. _Whoa_. _Wow_.

Quinn had actually gone with implanting both of their eggs, hoping at least one made it. Artie’s mind whirled. Quinn wanted to have her baby. Holy shit, Quinn wanted to have her baby. _Holy shit_.

“Artie, are you okay?” Quinn asked.

Artie blinked. Where the hell were they? What was going on? “Huh?”

Quinn stared at her, as if seeing deep, down into the pits of her soul. “Are you okay?”

“You want to have my baby.” She could hardly believe how dazed she sounded, but she was more impressed she could say words. Quinn wanted to have her baby.

Quinn smiled. “Yes, that’s why we’re here.”

It felt like the world tilted, but also like everything was right in the world at the same time. “You really want to have my baby. I mean, you want to have my kid and raise this baby with me and parent with me. Like this is for life, princess. This is forever.” Artie blew out a long breath. Quinn wanted to be with her forever and raise little versions of themselves. What the hell?

Quinn’s smile grew. “Uh, yeah. I love you, you big lug, and I’ve wanted a family with you ever since you painted the picture for me when we were in college. You’re the one who shared that dream with me. You saw a future and I see it with you. So, let’s get this done.”

This did not help clear Artie’s mind and the drive home was just as quiet. They could be parents at this time next year. They could have a baby in the house, giggling and crying, waking them up in the middle of the night, cuddling into them on the couch, and everything in between. _Wow_. Wow.

“Artie,” Quinn said.

“Huh?” Artie turned to Quinn.

“We’re home.”

Artie looked up. So they were. In fact, Quinn was out of the car. Artie had pulled into the driveway and turned off the car without realizing it. _Well, at least I didn’t get us killed, even though I have no idea how we got home_.

“Baby, are you okay?” Quinn asked, reaching over to stroke Artie’s hand.

“I am. I just got lost in thinking about us having a baby. I mean…” Artie took a deep breath and laughed. She felt a little hysterical and definitely sounded that way. “We’d have a family. We’d have…” Her voice got caught in her throat.

Quinn smiled. “We’re on our way. We already have family and it’s a good thing, too. While my insurance has a good deal of this, there’s more to kids than money.”

Artie nodded. It was the best she could do. There were no words to explain the grandness of the emotions coursing through her. Just when she thought she loved Quinn as much as humanly possible, something like this happened and proved love expanded like the universe. It was infinite, but somehow could still get bigger.

“I want to tell you I love you, but it doesn’t begin to cover it,” Artie said, tears in her eyes.

“I know. You think I don’t feel the same way?” Quinn replied.

Artie sniffled. “It’s so massive.”

“It is. But, I couldn’t trade it for the world.”

Artie grinned, even as tears slid down her cheeks. “Me, too.” Their love was infinite, but could grow, so they could accommodate new additions. There would be their baby eventually and Yvonne and Vega’s babies. Eventually, her sisters might even have children… not anytime soon, but eventually. The idea made her heart flutter. It would be amazing.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the aftermath of this.


	31. Believe In Yourself

31: Believe In Yourself

The in vitro did not take until a third try for Quinn, but they knew it worked when she woke up with morning sickness. Artie got her a home pregnancy test, confirming what the morning sickness was kicking her ass with. She already knew the hell it would cause, as Yvonne had already gone through terrible morning sickness as well. Yvonne was three months pregnant.

“Princess, you okay?” Artie asked, poking her head in the bathroom.

“Do I sound okay?” Quinn was annoyed as this was the third day she had this happen, left on her knees, feeling like she was heaving out her vital organs, and Artie kept asking her that question. Every now and then, she considered Artie was purposely trying to get on her nerves.

“Well, I thought that was more polite than saying you sound like shit,” Artie replied.

Quinn wanted to be upset, but her throat burned as more bile forced its way out of her throat. Artie kneeled beside her and rubbed her back. Part of her wanted to slap Artie’s hand away, but her touch was too soothing to let go of.

“I made you an appointment with Doctor Stevenson. I know how it can get there, so I made it for first thing tomorrow morning,” Artie said.

Quinn groaned. “I love you.” She could not imagine doing anything beyond leaning against the toilet at the moment, so Artie making her a doctor’s appointment was nothing short of a miracle for her.

“I got you, baby. You want some toast for breakfast?”

Quinn made a noise, but it was as good as confirmation. Still, her stomach twisted at the idea of food and she vomited more. Artie held her hair for her and rubbed her back until she was done. She got up to brush her teeth and use some mouthwash while Artie went to handle breakfast. Quinn did not think she would be able to hold down toast even, but she needed to eat something.

“You want me to call you in late? You can go back to bed for a little while,” Artie said, as she watched Quinn eye the toast with suspicion.

Quinn shook her head. “I’ve learned from the past few times that going back to bed doesn’t help. I just have to wait it out.” The past few times the sickness had gone away on its own, usually a couple of hours after she woke up. She would not know what to do with herself if it turned out she was just regular sick and not morning sick, but she would wait for the doctor’s appointment for ultimate confirmation.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie could not believe she zoned out in Doctor Stevenson’s office. She had no idea how long they waited or how many people were there. She assumed it was like always, but she was barely aware of how they even got into the examination room. She wiped her sweaty palms on her knees for the millionth time since they got there. It was even harder to focus after the doctor pointed out there were two embryos. How could she hear anything else? There were twins in there.

“It’s hard to tell at this stage if there will be two babies. All sorts of things happen to embryos early on,” the doctor said.

Artie’s heart winced. Was there not twins? Was there something wrong? She shook her head. No. She was overreacting. Maybe.

“Artie?” Quinn said.

Artie slapped herself to snap herself out of her haze. “Sorry. I’m trying to be here, but my mind is a million miles away. This is a lot to take in. I mean, before it was just a maybe, a little plus on a stick, and now it’s a real thing. This isn’t theoretical anymore. This is the real deal. There’s an actual kid involved here. Maybe two. Twins. Like real kids.”

Doctor Stevenson smiled. “First one?”

Artie blew out a breath and laughed. “Technically, yes, but I’ve got so much experience with babies it’s not even funny. This is still otherworldly to me. I don’t even know.”

Artie rubbed her face with both hands, but failed to gather even a fragment of her mind. _This is not good_. Was her mind going to whirl through the whole pregnancy? It was like she just got her mind wrapped around the idea that Quinn wanted to carry her baby and now Quinn was carrying her baby. What the hell? This was amazing.

Quinn chuckled, but this was far from funny. Artie was so far in the clouds she was not sure when or how they got the car. She did not even notice she was not driving at first.

“Art, I’m worried about you,” Quinn said.

Artie shook her head. _You have to get your head in the game, bro_. “Don’t be. I’m just floored. Princess, we’re pregnant. We’re nine weeks pregnant. There’s a baby in there. Maybe two.” She pointed to Quinn’s abdomen.

Quinn snickered. “That’s the idea, baby.”

“I know. I know. I just need a long moment to wrap my mind around it and I don’t even know. I mean, I’ve lived through five babies personally and experienced a few when visiting with Tega’s family, but this is… I didn’t expect it to be like this.” It was like she was underwater. She did not fear drowning, but she might never reach the surface again.

Quinn grabbed Artie’s hand. “I know what you mean.”

“I’m sorry I’m not here for you right now.” Artie needed to get it together because Quinn would need her. She could not spend much more time in a daze.

Quinn shook her head slightly without taking her eyes off of the road. “Don’t be. I’m actually flattered you’re so awed by this whole thing. I know you’re going to be here for me and I know you’re going to be the best damn dad you could possibly be to this kid. I’m looking forward to this whole amazing journey with you.”

Artie smiled. “I’m looking forward to it with you, too. You know, I don’t think this ever occurred to me that it could be reality. It was a hope, a dream, but not real. And, I don’t know why it was never real to me. I know you love me. I know you want to have a family. This should have been a reality for me, like us getting married once you said yes, but it just never made it there.” It was an odd realization, but it explained why she was so overwhelmed with what was happening.

A small, amused smile lit up Quinn’s face. “Well, I need you to catch up. I still have a few weeks of morning sickness if I’m lucky. Someone has to hold my hair and you’re the one who loves it long.”

A scoff escaped Artie. “Let’s not put your four feet of hair on me. I’ll take it long or short. You’re the one who likes when I have something to pull on.”

Quinn blushed. “Hey! Can you not bring that up?”

“Why? It’s just us.” Artie smirked. Quinn liked to keep bedroom talk in the bedroom or at the very least during the times they were intimate.

Releasing her hand, Quinn held up a finger. “You do not talk about that right now. You’re changing the subject on purpose. Look, love, I’ve said it time and time again, I want a family with you. We have a family coming.”

Artie took a deep breath. “We do have a family coming. It will be glorious. I get to be an actual father.”

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “I thought you already were an actual father.”

“You know what I mean. It’s not a dual title. I’m not someone’s father/sister. I’m just a dad here.” Artie blinked. “Do you think it’ll mess the kid up if I call myself his or her dad?”

“I think if you let your sisters refer to you as dad occasionally, even if it’s mostly a joke now, and they’re not messed up, we’ll be fine. Besides, I want you to be comfortable. You’re a father. Call yourself that and don’t worry about the rest of the world.”

Artie nodded. She would have told Vega that if roles were different. She should not worry about the rest of the world, but she did. Not for herself, but for their child. She wanted their child to have a good life and she did not want to be one of the things that caused a bump in the road.

It had not bothered Artie when she was younger to call herself a father to her sisters. But, it was when she considered herself a complete and total male. Now, she accepted the fact that she was biologically female, even though she still identified her gender as male. Of course, she would tell people she was a woman if they asked, but she never felt quite like a woman. Was she ready for her child to have to explain that to people? For her child to have to explain their father was a woman?

“Babe, please, you’re my baby daddy. Don’t try to change that.” Quinn smiled and patted her hand.

Artie forced a smile. “Thanks. I don’t know why I’m thinking about this now. It never occurred to me when I was younger.”

“Well, your gender identity is a little more fluid now than it was then, but I’m sure you’re also thinking about the kids. Your sisters never actually referred to you as ‘Dad’ beyond joking in public. This baby will do it often and quite seriously.” Quinn glanced down at her flat tummy.

Artie nodded slowly. That made sense. Their child would have to call her something and any variation of mother did not sit well with her. She wanted to be this child’s father, daddy, dad, papa, pop, or something of the sort, but she still ached for her unborn baby. She did not want the child to have to deal with explaining why his or her dad was a woman, as she was almost certain it would lead to bullying by some other kids.

“I don’t want our kid to be singled out and treated different because of me,” Artie said.

“Well, maybe that won’t happen. And if it does, we’ll deal with it. I had to learn to handle people staring at you while we’re in public and we’ll teach this child how to deal with anyone who might say something untoward about you. We can’t cower away because of what _might_ happen and our child needs to learn to be proud of you, of our family because you are an outstanding human being and we’re going to be a good family,” Quinn replied.

Artie took a breath. That was the truth. She hated the idea of causing trouble for their child early in life, but she knew it would not actually be her. It was people and people would cause trouble for others regardless. They would teach their child to be strong, to deal with it, and be happy with better circumstances than many.

“I guess we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it, but I’m looking forward to this. I’m looking forward to life,” Artie said.

Quinn smiled. “I know.” She had to wait, but she leaned in for a kiss as soon as she could and all was right in the world. Now, they had a baby to prepare for.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the announcement.


	32. Can’t Stop Now

32: Can’t Stop Now

The weather was warm and the Brenner family was whole with the twins back from school for the summer. They decided to have a family gathering in the backyard of Anna’s house. Artie and her grandfather, Andre, had control of the grill while everyone else sat around and chatted. Tia had a couple of close friends over, as did Juno. The twins had their significant others. Quinn and Artie felt like this would be the best time to share their news.

Vega and Yvonne were there along with Mahmoud. Vega’s father seemed to be coming to more family functions lately, but Quinn did not say anything about it. It was always great to see him. Maybe he felt more connected to the family now. Yvonne was six months along and quite obvious. Diana was fascinated with her, having never been around a pregnant woman before. The other sisters were not as impressed as they were when they first found out.

“So, how long until the baby comes out now?” Diana rubbed Yvonne’s belly. It was not so large, but Diana was interested in any growth she noticed.

“We still have three more months,” Yvonne replied, leaning back in the lawn chair she had been given. She liked to recline and stretched out on the chair like a big cat. Vega had been next to her, but she had to go bother Artie by the grill and make sure Artie was “doing it right.”

“Then you’ll have a niece or a nephew,” Quinn said.

“It’ll be so fun!” Diana jumped up and down.

“We are going to rock this aunt thing,” Aphrodite said and Venus gave her a high five.

“You better.” Vega shook her fist at the twins, earning giggles from them and their sisters.

Quinn glanced at Artie. They agreed they would make the announcement today, but they had not agreed on when and she felt like that had been a good opportunity. But, Artie was focused on the grill and catching up with her grandfather and threatening Vega to leave her alone. Quinn remained silent.

Soon enough, there was food. Juno put on music. It was nice. Quinn had not had little family gatherings like this growing up. Whenever her parents had people over, it was for business reasons and it was always a bunch of strangers. The rare times they had family over beyond Quinn’s grandparents, arguments and, sometimes, outright fights started. She never saw situations devolve in the same way her family gatherings had. She could not imagine a Brenner family event devolving.

“Okay, so, can you make a burger this big?” Aphrodite held her hands far apart as she made a request from Artie.

“And who the hell is eating that?” Artie asked with a furrowed brow.

“Me.”

Artie arched an eyebrow. “You’re eating a burger bigger than your head? I think we both know I’m not going to let you eat that much red meat.” They were lucky Artie consented to beef burgers. She tended to serve turkey burgers or veggie burgers, but whenever they had friends over, she would do beef.

“Thank you!” Mysha held up her hand from a seat at a table where she, Venus, Tia, and Tia’s friend were playing cards.

Artie smirked at her sister. “Sounds like your girlfriend knows the deal. Go make a double-decker burger and call it a day. Mom cut up tomatoes and lettuce in that bowl.” She used the tongs to point to a bowl by the pan she put the burgers and hot dogs in. “There’s cheese on some of them, but if you want to splurge while you have the chance, there’s swiss cheese slices over there.” She used the tongs to point again.

Again that was the nature of the gathering, smiles, good natured teasing, and outright happiness. When the cooking was all done, Artie joined Quinn, taking over the chair and having Quinn sit in her lap. Quinn ate a little bit, but still found it hard to keep food down, throughout the day now, not just the morning. It was not until Tia’s and Juno’s friends had to be home and the sun was sinking behind houses that Artie whispered in her ear.

“Ready to tell everybody?” Artie asked.

“I’ve been ready since we got here,” Quinn replied.

Artie chuckled. “You were squirming in the car ride over. I just didn’t want to do it in front of everyone. Only the people who matter.”

“I figured.” She really did not want to give the news around the girls’ friends either, but she was dying to say something.

“So, you ready?” Artie asked.

“Go ahead and get everyone’s attention.”

Artie turned to Juno and swatted her shoulder for her attention. “Bug, can you turn the music off for a second?” Juno nodded and did just that. Artie cleared her throat. “So, can I have everyone’s attention?”

“Oh, my god!” Venus jumped out of her seat, grinning up a storm already.

Artie gave her a deadpan look. “Really?”

“Well, how many announcements can you possibly have at this point? You’re already married to Quinn and you already have a house,” Venus pointed out.

“Double auntie duty!” Aphrodite clapped long and loud.

“Yes, this was totally the scheme.” Yvonne grinned. “Our babies will be almost the same age. Best friends for life.” She rushed over as best she could with the extra weight and grabbed Quinn into a hug. Using leverage, she pulled Quinn to her feet for them to share a proper embrace.

Vega went over to Artie and shook her hand, but they ended up in a hug, too. When Yvonne finally released Quinn, the pantheon was on her, hugging her and talking at the same time, as they tended to do. Through their chaos, she could see Anna crying as she hugged Artie.

“You guys didn’t even let me say it!” Artie groaned as her grandparents embraced her at the same time. Mahmoud had mercy on her and offered her a handshake and a pat on the back.

He hugged Quinn tightly, though. “Congratulations. I know you and Artie will continue to be excellent parents.”

Quinn smiled as a warm feeling blossomed inside of her. It was wonderful to know he thought she helped with the parenting when it came to the pantheon. He was such an amazing person, so understanding and supportive.

“You two will do wonderful and you have Vega and Yvonne. You’ll all support each other like you have been doing. It will be the greatest experience of your life,” Mahmoud said.

Quinn nodded. “I know.”

“And I’m always here, too. You know Artie is the son I never had.”

“I know. Thank you for being there for her, for us.”

He smiled and she could only smile back. When he let her go, he went to Artie and put his arm around her, leading her away from the celebration. Quinn did not think anything of it and just turned to accept congratulations from Artie’s grandparents.

“You and Artie are going to have a beautiful child,” Tori said with a bright smile.

“If the kid is a boy, though, watch him. Artie used to take apart everything when I wasn’t looking. Knew where all my damn tools were. She used to climb everything,” Andre said, shaking his head. 

Tori swatted her husband’s shoulder. “You’re misinforming her. Artie would climb and jump off of anything higher than three feet. She was a heart attack in the making for about four years, maybe five. She never met a dog she didn’t want to pet, even if it was growling at her. Every rock or stick had to be picked up and then hit against a tree. Heaven forbid there was a bee’s honest or a hornet’s nest in the tree as she would aim for it until she hit it and pissed off whatever was inside.”

“Oh, and she needed to stick her hand in every dark space. She was a terror now that I think about it. How did we not die watching that kid?” Andre scratched his chin.

Quinn smiled all the way through. She looked forward to raising a child who might act like Artie. It meant their child might grow up like Artie, kind and full of love. The world needed more people like Artie and Quinn would be happy to raise the next one.

-8-8-8-8-

“Congratulations,” Mahmoud said to Artie as they stood at the front of the house. The air was calm and it swept through Artie, making her feel at peace.

“Thank you,” Artie said. She could not stop grinning and did not bother to try. She had a baby on the way and her family was happy. Her mother cried, as she expected, but they were tears of joy. Her mother was happy for her.

“I told Quinn I know you both will continue to be excellent parents, which is entirely true.”

“You know I learned from the best.” She included him in that. “My granddad has been awesome, but you know you’re there, too. Seeing you with Vega…” She shook her head. “There’s no words.”

He smiled. It was always small, not so much shy, but definitely humble. “I did the best I could. I love that person like no other and I always will.”

“You’re the reason I know what unconditional love is. I mean, my grandparents showed it with me, but I knew there were times it wasn’t there for my mom. But, you, no matter what Vega threw at you, you always had her back. You supported her through everything.”

He nodded. “Well, I learned through trials and tribulations, just as you did, as your mother did, as her parents did.”

“But, you seem like you learned the fastest.” Her grandparents only learned after hurting her mother and her mother only learned after hurting her. Mahmoud had not hurt Vega ever.

“I like to think I would treat Vega as I do regardless, but the death of her mother taught me how fleeting life can be. I didn’t want to spend whatever time I might have had with Vega arguing or being angry with her. I can worry about her and I can get upset, but you know I don’t argue with her and I don’t get angry.”

Artie smiled. “Yeah, I know. You don’t argue with me or get angry with me either. I always appreciated how you accepted me for who I am.”

He gave her a gentle touch on the shoulder. “As I said, I love Vega like no other and when she comes to me with people she loves, I’m just as open to them. You were always a breath of fresh air for her. I was always happy the way you were there for her and you always had her back, as you say I do. I know no matter what you will be there for her and I greatly appreciate that. Even when you were two were doing silly teenager things, I always felt like if I left this world, I knew she was in good hands with you and I knew you were in good hands with her. You two always made each other better. Your bond is special and I have to respect that.”

Artie resisted the urge to puff out her chest. She would always be there for Vega and knew the reverse to be true. They would never be alone in life. “I want to be that way with my child. I want to be a dad like you. I don’t think I’ve gotten to the point where I won’t get angry with my kid, but I don’t think I can stay angry.”

He smiled and patted her arm again. “You’re human. For me, I believe in letting Vega, and you for that matter, make your own mistakes. I think experience is the greatest teacher. Yes, I can tell you guys how I think something is a bad idea, but if you don’t heed my words, you’ll just have to go and find out. I always felt you two were big enough to admit when something went exactly as I told you it would.”

Artie snickered. “You’re not above an I told you so, though.”

With a sparkle in his eyes, he glanced away briefly. “I, too, am only human. Besides, you know how you two were as teens. You knew everything and then every couple of days you’d appear with those sheepish looks on your faces and admitted you did something stupid.”

“And we did learn a lot from those stupid things. I really want to be a dad like you. I want to be able to guide my kid like you do with Vega without being overbearing and letting them learn from life like you let us do,” Artie said. This was her greatest wish. “You helped me become a better man and now I want you to help me with this.”

“I’ll always be there for you, Artie. Any time you need something, you know you can ask me.”

“Yeah, I know. I just wanted you to know how much you’ve helped me in life and how much I do want to be like you. I mean, Vega’s rough around the edges, but I think that’s just her personality and you know I love her to death for it, but the person I love was made possible because of you. You never rejected her once. You never made her feel less than.”

He shrugged. “Because she isn’t. You aren’t either. There will be times when you don’t understand your child. Heaven knows I had plenty of that with both of you, but you have to find your own path. No matter what, I always believe you will become what you were intended to be and you were all intended to be good people, which was good enough for me.”

Artie nodded. This was the type of parent she ultimately wanted to be. Mahmoud never said a harsh word to Vega in all the time she knew him. He never said a harsh word to her either. He always respected the fact that she felt male rather than female. He would talk to her about it because he did not understand it, but never judged her, never looked down on her, nor told her she was wrong. When Vega came out as a lesbian, he told her to stay safe, said he loved her, hugged her, and then took them out to dinner to show he meant it. Maybe it was because he lost so much when he was wife died that he learned to appreciate what he had or he was just awesome in general. Either way, he was always a source of light in her life.

-8-8-8-8-

Anna cornered Quinn and she did not know what to expect. Over the years, they had become friends, but she was never sure what might trigger Anna and bring all the hate flooding back to her. Before, Anna basically accused her of stealing her husband, her emotional support, when she first came home with Artie all those years ago. Now, there could be an accusation of trying to steal her daughters’ father. But, from the soft look in her eyes, Quinn decided she was being paranoid.

“I’m so happy for you and Art,” Anna said, tears welling up in her eyes again. “I’m a mess, but you know I cry over everything.” She sniffled and waved her face.

“Thank you,” Quinn replied.

“I know you two are going to make perfect parents and you’ll raise this little one right. I’ll try not to screw him or her up too much as their grandmother.” Anna tried to smile, but her mouth trembled and she had to wipe her nose. She really did cry over anything and when Quinn allowed it to reach within her, it seemed endearing.

“We’ll definitely do our best and I know you will, too.” It was the truth. She had no doubt Anna would treat the baby as someone precious, just like she did with her own daughters. Yes, she and Artie had their troubles, but they always agreed it was because of Artie’s dual roles in the household, a mistake not repeated with anyone else.

“I truly am happy for you. I want you to know that.” Anna put a hand on her shoulder and gave a little squeeze.

“I know.” Well, she knew now. Internally, she relaxed. She would have to learn to expect the best instead of the worst from her baby’s grandmother from now on.

“I’ll have to see if I have any old baby things. I’m not sure you’ll want them as they’re all hand-me-downs and they might have been handed down a little too much, but it’s worth looking.” Anna was off before Quinn could say anything. She would take the hand-me-downs if they were still good. She and Artie were on a tight budget, so much big spending, but it was worth it. It was all worth it.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: telling Quinn’s grandparents the news.


	33. Better than Money

33: Better than Money

Quinn hated the fact that she and Artie had to tell her grandparents the news over the phone, but it was the best they could do. It was not like they could afford to go to her grandparents and she definitely would not want her grandparents to take the long drive to her for one sentence of news. She would save that for when the baby was born, or if there was a baby shower. Still, she felt they deserved better considering all of the ways they helped keep her and Artie afloat. They would not be able to afford the house, the place they would raise this child in, without her grandparents.

“Okay, is everyone there?” Artie asked, holding her cell phone in one hand with the other wrapped around Quinn. They were cuddled together on the couch.

“Yeah, we’re here,” Lois said for her and Cliff.

“Us, too,” Roger chimed in for himself and Babs.

Quinn smiled at the sound of their voices. “Okay, so we have some news.”

Her grandmothers gasped before she got any further. “Oh, my god!”

“Grandma, Nana, don’t get ahead of us, please,” Quinn said.

“But, you’re going to have a baby, right? It finally worked?” Babs asked, eager and pleased. It was no secret they were trying to have a baby, so it was easy for her grandmothers to guess the news.

“Yes, Grandma, it worked. We’re having a baby,” Quinn tried to sound bored, but there was a grin that threatened to split her face and it could be heard in her voice.

There were shouts of glee from all of her grandparents. Artie pulled her closer and grinned at her. She kissed Artie and she ran her hand through Artie’s hair. Artie smiled from the attention and went in for a second kiss.

“Artie, you ready to be a papa?” Cliff asked, pride deep in his voice.

Artie controlled a chuckle. “I think I can handle it.”

Quinn sighed against her. “Yeah, Artie is more than ready to be a daddy.”

“Oh, god. We have to come and see you soon,” Lois declared.

“Absolutely! We have to plan a trip right now,” Babs agreed.

Quinn tried to object, but after a minute or so it was clear she might as well be talking to a wall. Her grandparents were off on their own, trying to match schedules and pick dates. She looked at Artie and gave her a shrug. Artie smiled and kissed the top of her forehead.

“Let them be happy and excited,” Artie said, squeezing Quinn’s shoulder.

“I don’t want them to make a trip to see nothing, though.” Quinn motioned down to her flat stomach. They did not even have ultrasound pictures to show off yet. They did not know if they had twins or a single baby. They did not know which of the spare rooms would be the nursery. Hell, they barely made their next doctor’s appointment.

“They’re going to come regardless, so just let them be happy. We’re probably going to be seeing more of them from now on and you won’t be able to stop them.” Artie eased her hand down and caressed Quinn’s belly.

Quinn sighed. “You’re right.” So, she let her grandparents make their plans.

-8-8-8-8-

It was hardly a week later when Quinn’s grandparents stormed the home front. Artie was in the living room with Tia, who she could already tell they would be seeing more of, if that were humanly possible. Beyond the fact that it was nearly summer vacation, Tia would want her time with Quinn before the baby arrived. Artie had a feeling Juno and Diana would be the same.

“Where is the expectant mother?” Lois said as she and Babs burst through the door before Artie managed to fully open it.

“Her office.” Artie jammed her thumb behind her. They were gone without as much as a hello in her direction, which she was fine with.

“Nobody cares about the dad,” Cliff said as he and Roger stepped in. They both clasped her on opposite shoulders, giving her gentle squeezes.

Artie shrugged. “It’s her moment. I’m here for support and abuse.” If Quinn ended up half as emotional as her mother always was in her pregnancies, then she was in for a lot of supporting and even more abuse. Vega was currently learning this, finding herself always saying the wrong thing to Yvonne, who burst into tears at the drop of a hat and lost her temper over the tiniest things. Hormones, achy body parts from the extra weight, and lack of sleep were a bitch.

Roger chuckled. “You might only have to deal with the support part. When Babs had our kids, both pregnancies were calm. Actually, she was calmer pregnant than I’ve known her to be her entire life.”

Cliff nodded. “Or she could be like Lois, who swore the world would come to an end weekly if she didn’t get fried chicken. I’m shocked Vanessa could even look at chicken in her life with the way her mother ate it during her pregnancy.”

“Quinn will be cool during her pregnancy,” Tia said from the living room, forever Quinn’s white knight.

“I swear when Quinn goes through a midlife crisis and is looking to trade me in for a younger model, that one is going to throw me in front of a bus and raise my baby as her own.” With a smile, Artie nodded toward Tia, who thankfully, even at the ripe age of sixteen, soon to be seventeen had shown absolutely no interest in any sex. But, she was definitely gay for Quinn and had been since she was twelve. Artie could not blame her.

“Don’t be silly. By then, the baby will be grown. I’ll just get to enjoy Quinn,” Tia shot back.

Artie laughed. “Can I at least be buried next to her when she dies?”

“I’ll consider it.”

“How magnanimous of you.”

Cliff and Roger were used to them, so they laughed and offered Tia a hello before going to greet Quinn in her office. Artie went back to Tia. They listened to the excited squeals for a moment and then turned their attention back to the matter at hand, browsing college programs on the Internet. Tia wanted to get a jump on colleges since she had to apply in the fall. She wanted to stay local, but Artie thought she might be all right with branching out a little further away.

“There are some good schools not too far from here. Parker is amazing and it’s not that far. You could dorm there and come home on the weekends,” Artie said. She thought Tia would do great at Parker University. The STEM programs there would probably stop her little science nerd heart.

Tia twisted her mouth up. “I just…”

Artie put her arm around Tia’s shoulders. “Come on, bud. What’s up? I know you don’t mind being away from home. You’re here a lot and your dad has taken you places before. You’re not one for homesick.”

“It’s different. First off, here is home. Well, it’s an extension of home. Whenever Dad takes me some place, I know I’m coming back. Dorming is just different. It’s living away from home. It’s being away from all of you for a long time. I remember when you were at college. It sucked. I don’t want to miss that time with you again.” Tia hugged her around her middle. “I don’t want to miss time with the baby like that.”

“You won’t miss much and you have to live your own life. You can come home like the twins. There are breaks and weekends and you know when I was at Parker if necessary I’d be home right after classes. Quinn lived with us while going to summer classes,” Artie said.

Tia looked at her. “You really want me to go to your school?”

“I just think you’d do really well there and I think you’d like it there. You’ll meet a whole bunch of people, all who are interested in the same things as you. I think you need the experience.” Artie was not really worried about Tia, but she felt like Tia would shine at a big university. She needed to meet more people like herself. She got a little lucky in high school, meeting a few fellow science nerds, but then they were not as into sports as she was. Her friends were good people, but there were so many people out there like Tia.

“Can we afford that?” Tia pouted.

“Just like me and the twins, you’ll get scholarships and grants and you’ll find a way to make money. Plus, we’ll help as much as we can.”

Tia frowned. “You’re going to have a baby to worry about.”

Artie smiled. “There’s always a baby to worry about. It’ll be fine.” They always found a way. She needed to get Tia into a good university, though. Tia had a brilliant mind for science, chemistry her favorite. She had already done an AP chemistry class, passing it with no problem and nailing the test for college credit.

Tia cuddled in closer. “If not Parker, what about Hamilton Tech? They have a really cool biochem program and I’m taking AP biology in the fall. I think. If we can afford the quick prep classes my school wants me to take at the end of the summer.”

Artie scoffed. “Stop worrying about money.” This was something she never wanted her sisters to do. Money was her issue and had been for a long time. She wanted them to be fiscally responsible, but never concerned over doing something because of finances. “If Hamilton Tech has caught your eye enough for you to have already looked at it, you make sure you apply there and I will do everything in my power to get you through four to five years, depending on your degree. Okay?”

Tia nodded and hugged Artie around her middle. “That baby is lucky to have you as a dad, just like us.”

Artie kissed the top of her head and looked up at the ceiling. “I feel like the lucky one.” Despite lots of things, she always felt lucky, with her family, with Quinn, and now with the baby they had on the way. She was lucky.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: baby names.


	34. Honor and Tradition

34: Honor and Tradition

Artie sighed and rubbed her eyes as she stared at a list of names on her work computer screen. She had a patient coming in soon, but she wanted to use her few spare moments to try finding names for the baby. She and Quinn decided to start looking early, knowing they were on two different pages when it came to names. Quinn liked the theme names Anna started with the pantheon and wanted to continue on in that vein. Artie, while not against the plan, would rather go with more common names.

“Who knew there were so many names?” She and Quinn agreed once a week, they would compare a list of names until her fifth month. From there, they would look at names they agreed on and pick from there. They had a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and they would find out if they should still be looking at two names.

She jotted down one more down in her phone before her patient entered. The next time she had a moment, she would look for more. Would she be able to find two if that was what they needed? She was not sure. Would this overwhelmed feeling ever go away? She was not sure of that either.

-8-8-8-8-

The next morning came quick and they were in the doctor’s office as soon as it opened. Artie was a pillow for Quinn, who would never be an early morning person. Vega and Yvonne were with them. The OBGYN was excellent, but her office was notoriously slow and worked on a first come, first serve basis despite only taking appointments. Yvonne was showing, hitting the seventh month mark. Vega doted on her, which Artie expected.

“Did you hit Quinn with a tranquilizer dart?” Yvonne snickered as she leaned over and pushed Quinn’s hair from her face.

“I practically had to carry her here. She hates these 7:30 appointments. I think when these babies are born, she’s gonna charge them for her time,” Artie replied.

“She’s going to get really pissed when those babies start pressing against her bladder and she can’t sleep through the night because she needs to pee,” Yvonne said.

“But, you’ll like when other things keep her up at night,” Vega chimed in with a grin. She wiggled her eyebrows.

Yvonne huffed, but Artie chuckled. It turned out Yvonne was one of those horny pregnant women. There were occasions when she called Vega at work, wanting to talk dirty or begging Vega to come to her office and do lewd things to her. There was sexting when there had been none before and Vega suddenly had a lot of “Yvonne showed up at my office” stories that ended with Yvonne on the desk or in the chair without any underwear. Artie hoped Quinn had a similar pregnancy.

“You are going to be on timeout,” Yvonne told her wife.

Vega gave her a grin. “Sorry, but you know Art knows all about your new naughty side. She read the sexting thread you sent me while we were watching the game.”

Yvonne scowled. “Well, we wouldn’t have needed a sexting thread if you just went to the bathroom with me.”

“I went during halftime. I’m not your sex slave, woman,” Vega replied.

Artie chuckled, but Yvonne was not amused and frowned at her wife again. Before the tension mounted, Artie was able to escape with Quinn as they were called into the doctor’s office, only forty-five minutes later than their actual appointment. Quinn grumbled, being taken from her sleep as Artie stood. Artie let Quinn lean on her as they walked to the back.

Everything was routine. They got sonogram pictures and they were able to see two tiny figures. They looked like blobs to Artie, but the doctor assured her they were babies. They were going to have twins. Quinn seemed dazed. Maybe it was from lack of sleep or maybe, like Artie, she was amazed. They had two babies.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie sat at the kitchen counter with Vega. They had root beers in front of them. Artie did not keep alcohol in the house unless there was a game going on. She did not want to chance her sisters getting into it. Not that it mattered to Vega, anyway. 

“I wanna laugh that they both fell asleep the second they hit the couch, but I hate that they’re so exhausted,” Artie said, referring to their wives. They had come in from the doctor’s appointments and their wives said they just needed to sit down for a second. It took about that time for them to fall asleep in a heap on the couch.

“Yeah, but carrying babies is hard work. We should get them some food in a little while,” Vega replied.

Artie nodded. “Yeah.” They should treat their wives for the blessings they carried. They would get to it after they had a moment to relax. There was a long silence.

“So… twins,” Vega said with a nod.

“Yeah. I guess Quinn got me on that. One pregnancy, two kids.” Artie shook her head. While it was not the tribe Quinn desired, it was more than the one Artie was going for.

Vega snorted. “Oh, please. We both know you were going to go along for at least two anyway.”

Artie could not argue that. If Quinn wanted more than one, she would have easily caved on two. Hell, she might even cave on three. But, she could not envision spending the rest of her life raising children and trying to divide the proper attention among them. The thought alone was maddening.

“You ready for your son?” Artie asked, wanting off the topic of her twins for now. They found out the sex of Yvonne and Vega’s baby a couple of months ago. It did not shock Artie. She felt like a girl or a boy would suit her friends. She was more worried for Mahmoud. What would he do with a grandson? She was the only boy he had dealt with as a child.

Vega nodded. “The more time passes, the more my father freaks out over it. I told him he did fine with you, so he’ll be okay. I think it’s different because you didn’t come to him as a newborn.”

Artie sipped her soda. “That’s true. What if I have a son? Or sons?”

“They’ll be really fucking manly and won’t take any shit, but will also respect women and anyone else they come across.”

“Sounds like your son.”

“Damn right it does. Our kids will be awesome. You’ve already raised five. I’ve got my father to help. How can we go wrong?”

Artie could not argue that one. “You wanna see my list of names?”

“You wanna argue with Yvonne to let me name my son Bashar?”

Artie scoffed. “How many times have we lost this argument already? She said that’ll be his middle name. Let’s accept it and move on.”

“His middle name. He has three middle names. There’s no point.”

“Yeah, well, tell her not to name him after your father then.”

Vega gave her a dirty look. “You’re utterly useless all the time, you know that, right?”

Artie shrugged. She liked the name Bashar and she liked why Vega wanted that name, as he was the bringer of glad tidings, but Yvonne was intent on giving the boy a name with some history behind it. So, he would be named after both their fathers and Yvonne’s deceased grandfather, who Yvonne had a close relationship with when she was a child. He would also carry both their last names, as Yvonne had hyphenated her own.

“You think she’ll raise him Catholic, too?” Vega asked with a frown.

“No. She respects you too much to do that. I know you’re upset over the name, but at least he has a connection to both families. He’ll be so loved. His name will matter and won’t matter at the same time.”

Vega twisted her mouth up. “I guess that’s true. Her family is driving her crazy getting ready for him. Emilio.”

Artie did not say anything, but Vega smiled whenever she said the name Yvonne decided on. Their son would have a name on him, Emilio Mahmoud Roberto Ortega Nasri. The name was long, but proud. Artie wanted her babies to have names like that.

“Shit,” Artie hissed.

“What?” Vega asked.

“I just realized I want the twins to have heritage in their names, like Emilio.”

“So?”

Artie sucked her teeth. “So, I’ll probably have to give in to Quinn wanting to keep with the theme names. Being a pantheon not only connects us to each other, but connects us to Granddad and his passion, which was a way he bonded with Mom when she was a kid. These names are a part of our family tradition.”

“You need to get up early more often. You are really fucking insightful right now.”

Artie chuckled. “I guess I just needed to bounce these off of someone. Quinn will be happy. She hates every single name I’ve picked out so far.”

“Well, at least this solves both of our problems. Now, we just have to worry about the fact that we’re about to have actual kids, like ours. Like we made the decision to have these kids.” Vega puffed out her cheeks.

“Yeah, but we’re going to have kids with two of the greatest women on Earth and we’ve raised kids before.”

Vega smiled. “Thanks for including me.” She tipped her can of root beer to Artie.

Artie shrugged. “Hey, the pantheon consider you their aunt/uncle. You know, it’s confusing for them since I consider you a brother.”

Vega nodded. “Speaking of that, do you want to be called ‘uncle’ or ‘aunt’? I want to get it settled before the kid gets here. And don’t tell me you don’t mind or you don’t want a title. You do mind and you do want one. So, which one do you want?”

She wanted to say “aunt,” just because it was simpler. She had not decided on what she wanted from her own child. She liked hearing her sisters tell people she was their dad, even if she called herself a woman. Her gender identity seemed more tied into how others perceived her at this point.

“Uncle it is,” Vega said after a long silence.

Artie rubbed her cheek. “Are you sure?”

“As sure as I am your brother, or you’re my brother. Whoever the hell is someone’s brother here.” Vega shook her head and took a gulp of her drink.

Artie’s brow furrowed. “You don’t sound very sure.”

Vega patted her on the shoulder. “As sure as I am that we’re siblings of some kind. I know you’re worried about what people will think and you don’t want the kids teased over it, but we need to teach them to accept you for who you are and be proud of you, like the pantheon is, like I am. Your gender identity is important.”

“Thanks.”

“But, just so we’re clear, I’m a fucking aunt.” Vega tapped the countertop with her index finger.

Artie laughed. She knew that, even if she always called Vega her brother. Vega being her brother had to do with her relationship with Vega more than anything else and Vega knew that. She looked forward to this newest part of their lives. She could hardly wait, especially with the name thing out of the way.

-8-8-8-8-

Night set in and quiet blanketed the house. Artie and Quinn were in bed, but they were not going to sleep yet. They both had their phones out, holding their list of names. Artie was about to delete hers.

“So, after talking with Vega, I think we should go with your idea of sticking with the theme names,” Artie said.

Quinn blinked. “What?”

“Tradition in a family is important. It’s something that connects us. The whole reason we can pull the pantheon nickname and joke with each other over it is because my mother saw fit to name us all after goddesses. And, even that connects to time she spent with my grandfather. There’s nothing wrong with any of that stuff and I know that’s what you’re trying to give to our children. So, I’m fine with a mythological name.”

Quinn smiled. “Good. I’m glad you agree. Tradition and connection are important. This will make naming the twins a bit easier.”

“But, I do not want to go down the road of Greco-Roman myths. I want these babies to have their own identities, too. They’re connected to us, but they’re also their own people. It’s like a next generation thing.”

Quinn nodded. “I can respect that. So, we have to start new lists, then?”

“I’m deleting mine right now.” Artie got rid of the whole list. “You have more than Greco-Roman names, right?”

Quinn winced. “A few, but not many.”

“Let’s go through those.” Artie pulled Quinn close, letting her wife cuddle into her. She would like to hear what Quinn had. Maybe one of their babies name was there.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Artie enjoys a new phase of Quinn’s pregnancy.


	35. Just Do It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: a little bit of sexy times here.

35: Just Do It

Quinn groaned slightly as she paused at the foot of the stairs, putting her hand to growing belly. At six months, she felt like her stomach rivaled Yvonne’s, who was due at any moment. There were definitely twins in there. They moved around now, possibly trying to get some elbowroom. It never failed to give her pause. Quinn was not sure how she was going to make it three more months.

“Hey, you get back in that bed!” Artie could be heard barking and there were footfalls and giggles.

Juno and Diana were supposed to be asleep in the spare room. Artie was working in the nursery… or trying to, anyway. They had the younger set of pantheon, including Tia, who was reading on the couch. The youngest pair had watched a movie and should have been in the bed, where Quinn had escorted them almost thirty minutes ago, but they were back to bothering Artie, even though they were both running on fumes. She would not be surprised if they dropped against Artie while they bugged her.

“Bug, Piglet, please, leave your sister alone,” Quinn called up the stairs. She was going to have to go up there. She had been on her way regardless, but the plan had been to go directly to bed before she collapsed where she stood. Now, she would have to make a detour and get the kids in bed again. Summer needed to be over now, if not sooner.

Quinn took a breath and began her ascent to the second floor. It took her longer than it used to and she breathed a lot heavier for the ten-step climb, but she made it. By then, Juno and Diana were in their beds. Quinn stood in the doorway and shook her head at them. They laughed, which she supposed was better than them insulting her intelligence and pretending to be asleep.

“Can you two please just go to sleep?” Quinn asked. “We all know you’re as tired as I am. Why are you doing this?” Why were they keeping her from her amazing bed?

“We want to make sure Yvonne hasn’t had Emilio yet,” Juno replied from the top bunk. She rubbed her eye and shook her head, a clear attempt to remain awake. None of the pantheon were night owls, no matter how hard they tried.

“Yeah, and Artie doesn’t want to tell us!” Diana said loud enough for Artie to hear. Artie scoffed in return.

“I think we all know if Yvonne went into labor, Artie would tell the world. Not to mention, if she didn’t, I would make sure you all knew. So, please, just go to sleep. Leave Artie to finish up the nursery,” Quinn said. Leave her to just go to bed. She needed to get off her feet right now.

“Fine,” Juno huffed and made a show of pulling her sheet over her torso.

“Yeah, fine!” Diana’s head hit the pillow hard.

Quinn rubbed her forehead. “Goodnight for the tenth time.” She turned and closed the door. If they stayed where they were, they would be asleep within minutes.

While the bed was calling her, Quinn decided to go check on her spouse first. Artie should have been in the bed at the same time as her sisters. She was still very much a believer in early to bed, early to rise and all of that. But, she was busy trying to assemble the crib.

Quinn paused in the doorway, catching the scent of wood before watching Artie work under the glow of the bedroom light. There was one crib built and Artie was at work on the second. Her muscles glistened, on display in her sports’ bra and basketball shorts, as she gripped a screwdriver. The sight made Quinn’s breath hitch and the throb was almost instantaneous. She wanted to press her legs together, give herself something to relieve the rising pressure.

“Baby, you need anything?” Quinn asked and she could not help licking her lips. She needed something, and it was no longer sleep.

“Nah. I just wanna finish this up,” Artie replied. She had been in the room all day with the cribs, putting together some shelves, and dresser along with putting away any items they had for the unborn babies. She turned, giving Quinn a grin. “Book royalties come in handy, huh?”

Quinn barely heard her spouse. Her eyes were glued to rippling muscles haloed by the light. She heard a chuckle and snapped out of her trace enough to look Artie in the face. Artie wiggled her eyebrows.

“What you thinking about, baby?” Artie asked.

Quinn’s gaze narrowed on Artie. “Don’t act so innocent.”

Artie smirked and pressed her hands together. “Oh, it’s not an act. I’m an angel. Now, what’s going through your demon mind, though?”

Quinn wanted to jump on Artie, but they did not have the house to themselves. Beyond that, her stomach made it hard to pounce anyway. But, she wanted her spouse’s attention so badly, especially while she was being all macho, putting together the cribs, working with tools, and wearing practically nothing to show off every line of hard muscle on her impressive physique.

“Maybe we should go to our room and I can tell you exactly what I’m thinking in graphic detail,” Quinn said. If Artie was going to be up past her bedtime, she might as well make it worth her while.

Artie glanced down at her unfinished work. “Shouldn’t I finish this?”

“I need you to finish me.” Quinn gave Artie a heated look before going about her business, marching to their bedroom. She trusted Artie to make the right decision.

She heard the thud of the screwdriver before she was even a foot from the room, but Artie did not come up behind her. She entered the bedroom and sat on the bed, waiting. Her body was glad for the rest, but it would be glad for something more. Her pregnancy had not really changed her sex drive as it had for Yvonne, but when she wanted it, she _wanted_ it.

“Sorry, had to get my tool belt,” Artie said as she slid into the room and quietly closed the door behind her.

Quinn looked up and almost swallowed her tongue. There was Artie, still in her sports bra and shorts, but with a tool belt slung low on her waist. Wet dream did not even cover it.

Quinn smirked. “Really? I don’t think you have the right tools for the job.”

Artie crooked an eyebrow. “Oh, no?” She had on a proper tool belt with a hammer and screwdriver, but nothing else.

Quinn shamelessly put her hand down her pants and moaned as she caressed herself. “‘Fraid not, sir.”

Artie took a deep breath. “Got any suggestions?” Her eyes were fixed on Quinn and the way she eased her tongue out to wet her lips only made Quinn’s hand work faster.

“Aren’t you the handyman? You should know the right tools for the job.” Quinn threw in a smirk to add fuel to a raging fire.

Artie growled and stomped deeper into the room. When she went right by Quinn, Quinn knew what was up. She turned to watch Artie pull their toy chest from under the bed while making sure her hand stayed where it was most wanted. The toy chest was locked with a combination, even though none of the pantheon hung out in their room. Still, it was better safe than sorry. When Artie stood up again, there were new tools on her belt.

“Now, I wonder which one of these tools will do the job. This one maybe?” Artie ran her finger along their favorite dildo.

Groaning, Quinn rubbed herself in earnest. “Maybe.” Thoughts of what they had done with that toy flooded her, made her slicker, and her fingers sought her climax.

“In the mood for something bigger?” Artie swung her hip to show another dildo on her side. It was bigger than Quinn really liked and she suggested it on a whim a couple of years ago. She learned not to bring up toys lightly to Artie ever again. At the moment, she felt like she might be able to take the bigger one and enjoy it, though.

“Hmm…” Quinn arched into her hand and cried out, imagining how the bigger toy might feel right now. Sparks danced down her skin. “You should know what to do to fix this problem.”

Artie rubbed the back of her neck. “I think I should come inspect the problem first. Then, I can make a decision on what tools I need.”

Quinn nodded, the idea sounding like music to her ears. Artie stepped to her, leaning in with a kiss that was more tongue than anything else. Quinn did not have a complaint in the world, especially as Artie’s hand slid into her pants and replaced her own. She grabbed Artie by the back of the neck to pull her closer, drawing the kiss out, moving her lips to catch up to their tongue action.

“I got a little sense of the problem here, but I think I need a closer look,” Artie said.

“Yes, please.” Quinn could not wait.

Artie gave her another lingering kiss before dropping to her knees. She wasted no time removing Quinn’s pajama pants and underwear. She put Quinn’s legs on her shoulders and Quinn fell back on to the mattress as soon as Artie’s tongue came into contact with her throbbing center. Pleasure raced through her and she gave herself over to it.

Each pass of Artie’s tongue was heaven, even though it was a bit of a tease. Artie used her tongue to explore rather than focus on where Quinn needed her most. She was fine with that for now, enjoying Artie lapping at her like a tasty treat, but she would need so much more soon. Artie gave her thighs a squeeze and she bit her lip to avoid an obscenely loud moan. As Artie continued on, Quinn threw her arm over her mouth.

Her heart raced as bliss mounted and her hips chased after Artie’s beautiful mouth. Artie did not make her work for it, giving her exactly what she sought. Latching onto Quinn’s clit, she sucked and licked until Quinn had no choice to allow the passion to wash over her like a storm, drenching her in Artie’s love. A cloud of bliss blanketed her mind. She was vaguely aware of a kiss to her thigh and she felt her legs being moved.

“I think I know what tools I need for this job,” Artie said and for a second Quinn was not sure what she meant.

Quinn blinked and let loose a gentle sigh. “Oh? What tool is that?”

She expected Artie to reach for their preferred cock, but Artie surprised her. They had a small — she shivered at the term — anal plug. She had grown comfortable exploring different sexual things with Artie, but she was not a fan of what anything was called. She was also not the biggest fan of the plug, but it was not usually for her.

Quinn smirked. “You want me to put that in for you?” She liked that part. Any time Artie trusted her to insert something inside of her always filled Quinn with so much emotion.

“I think I’d like you to suit me as you see fit,” Artie replied.

Quinn slowly sat up, putting a hand on her belly as she did so. She could not imagine what it would be like in two months, let alone three. How was she supposed to get around?

Easing her hand to Artie’s hip, she slid it up until she got to Artie’s arm and traced it to her hand, taking the plug from her. “Do you have lube?”

“I’m fully equipped.” Artie went into a pouch and pulled out their lube.

“Take your pants off. And the tool belt for your other belt.”

Artie grinned. “I knew I had the right tools for the job.”

Quinn rolled her eyes and helped Artie out of her tool belt and shorts. She was very generous with the lube before pulling Artie close and kissed Artie’s toned stomach as she reached behind her. Artie jumped and leaned down for a kiss as soon as there was contact. While Artie very much liked the plug, there was part of her that was shy about it and she liked to be busy doing other things while it was inserted. So, she kissed Quinn, held herself up with one hand, and caressed Quinn’s neck with the other.

Quinn had to focus and try her best not to fall over as she used her other hand to stroke Artie’s clit to help relax her for the plug. She could not help thinking about when they first tried this. It was for her, like most experimental things in the bedroom, but like everything else in their sex life, eventually, she wanted to try it on Artie. They were both surprised how much Artie liked it and for a long time Artie refused to talk about it or request they use it. She knew the feelings came from Artie thinking it was “gay” to like it, just like when she let Quinn use the strap-on on her. They both knew Artie had her own demons to conquer there, but she never let her hesitation stop her from trying something new, which always helped Quinn in trying something new.

“You okay?” Quinn asked as she pushed the plug home. Artie made a keening noise, a long moan, and threw her head back a little.

“Fuck, babe, help me get into this damn harness,” Artie replied. She gave Quinn several quick pecks to the lips.

Quinn wasted no time helping there and moved further onto the bed as Artie adjusted. She licked her lips as she noticed the larger dildo in place and she pictured it buried in her, hitting all the right spaces. She needed it now.

Quinn settled on her side, finding this position the most comfortable as she gained more and more weight, as Artie kneeled onto the bed. There was more delicious kissing and she whined into Artie’s mouth. Her skin burned with desire and her blood felt like it was on fire. She needed Artie to put it out.

“Please, baby.” Quinn whined and tried to pull Artie to her. When Artie resisted, there was nothing she could do except whine more.

“You know I’ll take care of you,” Artie replied. She moved behind Quinn and took Quinn’s leg, placing it over her hip.

Quinn clutched Artie’s bicep, loving the feel of hard, straining muscle under her fingertips, as Artie glided through her passion, slicking up the strap-on. Quinn felt more whimpers and sounds bubbling up in her and turned her head, kissing Artie to drown out any noise she might make. Artie did not help, caressing her side, hip, and ass. Hell, even the fact that Artie avoided her breasts, which were already sensitive as hell, somehow turned her on. Artie was so careful with her.

“Fuck me,” Quinn heard herself whimper. She could hardly believe it was her, but she knew Artie had the power to make her a pile of wanting goo with a simple touch. It was just easier now than it had ever been.

“I’m going to now, okay?” Artie whispered against her lips.

“Please. I feel like I’m going to come out of my skin if you don’t,” Quinn replied.

Artie’s response was to kiss her again, which certainly did not help, but she also pushed inside of Quinn. It was like the heavens rained down on Quinn, cooling her heated flesh and giving her everything she needed to live. Artie moved at a steady pace, not quite gentle, but not rough. Quinn could not help it. She cried out, possibly loud enough for one the girls to hear.

“Babe, you have to be quiet,” Artie whispered in her ear before dragging her tongue along the shell, which damn sure did not help.

Quinn bit her lip, but a whine still pressed through as Artie pumped a little faster. Quinn threw her head back, falling against Artie’s shoulder. Artie nipped her ear, which against did not help. The little jolts combined with the hot, pulsing pleasure at her core was enough to make her forget herself. Before she let out another loud noise, Artie brought her hand over Quinn’s mouth. Soon after, there was a particularly hard thrust and Quinn dug her teeth into Artie’s hand, screaming into her flesh.

Artie groaned. “Fuck, Princess.” Her hips caught serious speed and Quinn could not hold back.

Pushing back against Artie, Quinn opened her mouth to scream as her climax tore through her. She fell against Artie as bliss rippled through her, each pulse shaking her body. She lost herself in a sea of ecstasy and when she came to Artie was cradling her.

“Feel better now?” Artie asked, stroking her cheek.

“Tired. Wanna sleep,” Quinn replied. She had been tired before, but now she was satisfied and ready to drift off to dreamland.

Artie kissed her softly and eased out of her, causing her to mewl in a low tone. Artie put her underwear and pants back on for her, as they never dared sleep naked with the girls about. She closed her eyes and allowed Artie to situate her how she wanted to. She was perfectly comfortable when Artie was done. Sighing, she settled against her pillow. Before drifting off, she felt Artie gather her in her arms and cuddle against her.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie groaned as the phone rang. It felt like she had just gone to sleep. She quickly grabbed her phone, not wanting to disturb Quinn. It was 2:30 in the morning and Vega was on the phone. She could guess what the call was.

“We’re in the hospital. Contractions started about an hour ago,” Vega said.

Artie grunted. “We’ll be there first thing in the morning. Can’t wait to meet Emilio.”

“Me, too!” Vega chirped and giggled. There was an actual, a little high-pitched giggle. “See you soon.”

Vega ended the call and Artie sighed as she fell back to her pillow. She waited a moment, wanting to see if Quinn might wake up. Quinn was knocked out, though. She caressed Quinn’s back briefly before her hand rolled around to Quinn’s stomach.

“Well, you two, your cousin is coming soon. I get the feeling he’s going to be a handful. Well, the three of you will probably be a handful,” Artie said in a low voice. She looked forward to it. She looked forward to Emilio. She looked forward to her twins.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: more babies.


	36. Yes, You Can

36: Yes, You Can

Artie held Quinn’s hand as a contraction shook her body. Quinn whimpered, whined, and moaned in agony. Her face was bright red and there were lines under her eyes. Her bottom lip wobbled uncontrollably as she cried and cried and cried. Nothing Artie said could soothe her, but Artie tried.

Artie felt bad, but this was it. Their babies were about to arrive. They were early, but she did not mind as long as they were healthy. It made her think back to when Emilio was born, two months ago.

Emilio was a little prince. Everyone always wanted to hold him and feed him. No one had a problem with changing him. They took pictures of him all the time. Yvonne was about to go back to work and worried over being away from him, even though Vega was more than prepared to work from home for the next few months. Artie considered her work options with the twins for the n-th time, but could not focus on that too long.

“Artie, I can’t do this. It’s too much. Why didn’t I just have the c-section?” Quinn asked, panting as she shook her head, sweat rolled down her cheeks, mixing with tears. Her arm trembled as she clutched Artie’s hand tighter than ever.

“You’re fine. It’ll be fine.” Artie kissed the side of Quinn’s head and gave her hand a squeeze. “You got this. You’re awesome.”

Quinn groaned and shook her head. A sob escaped her and rippled through Artie, chattering her bones. She wiped sweat from Quinn’s forehead as Quinn let out a panting growl. “No. I can’t. It’s too much.” Pausing, she ground her teeth together and crushed Artie’s hand as her body shook once more. “It’s too much. It’s too much. _I can’t!_ ” She sobbed again, gritted her teeth, and tried to breathe properly.

“You can.” Artie kissed the side of her head once more and helped her get back on pace with her breathing. Quinn let out a loud tearful groan, but kept breathing.

They were in the final stretch as far as Artie understood things. Everyone had been sent out of the room, unless they wanted to see the babies born. Tia had tried to stay, for science, or so she claimed. Regardless, it was a bit creepy. Quinn begged the teen to leave and Artie practically had to throw her out.

“You got this. Come on, baby,” Artie said, stroking Quinn’s head with her free hand. She glanced down to see what the doctor and nurse were up, but when Quinn let out a wail and yanked her hand she turned her attention back to her poor wife.

Quinn cried more and looked at her with big, wet eyes. The grip of her hand was intense and Artie could feel her trembling enough to rock the bed. Quinn bit her lip, but Artie kept breathing, needing Quinn to stay with her. Quinn glanced at her and tried to mimic her breaths.

Artie remained as supportive as she could, but Quinn was worn out. She worried over her poor wife. The babies were not here yet and Quinn seemed like she could not bear to give another push. She gave Quinn another kiss and whispered how amazing their lives would be once the twins arrived. The thought was enough. Quinn mustered the energy and they had their first-born daughter after a couple more pushes. She would be Isis Brenner.

Isis was pale and fussy, crying loud. Artie tried to see her as best she could, but she stayed with Quinn, who was panting and still crying. As much as she wanted to see her little girl, her wife needed her more. Quinn continued to breathe and grit her teeth, bearing through the fact that she had one more child to go, but she turned to see Isis as well.

“Is she okay? Is everything okay?” Quinn asked with a sniffle.

“Everything’s fine. I need you to focus on your labor, Quinn,” the doctor said.

Quinn let loose a series of sobs, drowning out Isis’ cries. “I can’t do it! I’m so tired.”

“You got this, princess. You got this.” Artie gave Quinn’s hand a little squeeze. Quinn cried, but focused on her breathing.

Their second daughter, Freya Brenner, came almost an hour later. Quinn fell asleep immediately after pushing out the afterbirth. Maybe passed out was more accurate. Artie marveled over their daughters, born three weeks early, but healthy all the same. While the babies were checked out, Artie ran her hand through Quinn’s hair.

“You were so good,” Artie whispered, confident Quinn would be able to hear her even in her sleep.

-8-8-8-8-

They were moved to a different, smaller room in the middle of the night. It was fine. The twins were with them. Artie marveled over the pair while Quinn slept. She had to do it now while she had the chance. When the morning came, the room would be filled to the brim with family and friends, loving the newest editions. For now, Artie had her family all to herself.

Isis and Freya were as pink as could be, which was not a surprise to Artie. Their mom was pale, after all. She would not mind if they took after Quinn in that regard, but they would have to slather on sunscreen immediately. She suspected they might gain color as they got older. Emilio had been born white as a sheet, too, but already had a golden olive coloring like his mama Yvonne, putting him a couple of shades darker than Vega.

“I promise you two I’m going to be the best damn daddy I can possibly be. I’m sorry kids are probably going to make fun of you because your dad is a woman, but I’ll do my best to make up for it. I’ll take care of you and your mom and give you everything you need to become strong and smart and successful, but sweet and loving, too. Your mom will be there, making sure I do it right. She’s going to be the best mom any kid could ask for. I just know it. 

“You have tons of aunts who will be there to fix it anytime I screw up, too. Best of all, you guys have each other and you have Emilio. If he’s anything like his mom, he’ll be the best friend you two could possibly have. A brother in fact. He’ll be loyal and have your back and tell the truth whenever you need to hear it. You were born into a good family, even if it’s not conventional. You’ve got a grandmother who always works hard and will provide for you as best she can. You’ve got a granddad in Mahmoud and he’s one of the best men I’ve known. Plus, you have six, that’s right six, awesome great-grandparents who have been taking care of you since before you showed up. They helped us get the house you’re going to grow up in. It’s close enough that one day, you two will be asking to ride your bikes to Emilio’s house and he’ll be popping up at ours on his own bike. It’ll be a good life,” Artie said to the dozing babies.

“You telling our babies how great life is?” Quinn asked, her voice scratchy from sleep and exhaustion. Her eyes were barely open, still marred with lines and bags.

Artie smiled. “Yeah, I just want them to know things will be a little hard, but it’ll be okay.”

“It will.” 

“I know. You hungry?” She thought Quinn should be famished considering all the work she put in delivering their two treasures.

“Not really. Can you?” Quinn did not need to finish the question. Her eyes drifted to the hospital bassinet by the bed.

Artie lifted Isis into her arms and eased her into Quinn’s waiting hands. She picked up Freya once Isis was secure. Quinn gave both babies a tired smile.

“My own little goddesses. We have a mixed pantheon,” Quinn said.

Artie shrugged. “My pantheon is mixed, too. We’re Greek and Roman. I doubt anyone will care they’re Egyptian and Norse.”

“They’re beautiful.” Quinn looked between them. “Except my poor Isis doesn’t have any hair yet.”

Artie chuckled. Isis was almost bald. There were some dark brown hairs swirled on the sides of her head, but not much. Freya, on the other hand, had a full head of light brown hair already. Isis weighed more than Freya, though.

“You know, I worried I wouldn’t be able to tell them apart,” Quinn said.

“There would’ve been ways if they were identical. When Venus and Dite were babies, we noticed Venus had a small birthmark on her ankle and Dite had a mole on her left shoulder. Beyond that, the hospital helped us when they were born. They had their names on their tags and we left them on for a while until we figured out who was who. Mom knew, which I thought was witchcraft. Apparently, some moms can just tell, but others can’t.”

Artie had not been too worried about telling the twins apart, not after growing up with Venus and Aphrodite, but she could understand why Quinn worried. It was deeper than just being able to tell the twins apart. Artie leaned in, careful of Freya, and kissed the side of Quinn’s head.

“You are going to be an incredible mother. You’ve already taken care of the Bug and Piglet. These two are lucky to have you,” Artie said. Quinn would probably always have doubts about being a mother considering her own childhood, but she was already an excellent parent.

“I’ll do my best not to screw them up,” Quinn replied, gazing at the sleeping baby in her arms with so much love it filled Artie’s chest.

“Me, too.” Artie grinned. “Look, they don’t come with an instruction manual and we both already know there are times we’ll second guess ourselves, but we want the best for them. We have a lot of practice in raising kids already. It’ll be fine.”

Quinn nodded, assured for now. They turned their attention back to their twins. Each twin curled up in their chests and Artie cooed at both of them, getting no reaction. Quinn chuckled lightly.

“I’d like to sleep like that.” Quinn yawned and eyed the twins like they were the greatest things in all creation. She was too tired to do more than smile at them. Eventually, the babies woke up and they were hungry. Quinn wanted to breastfeed, but was not sure how successful she would be with two babies. Still, she would try and if it did not work out, she could do both formula and breast. A nurse came in to go through her options with her and show them both how to tackle breastfeeding with twins.

-8-8-8-8-

In the morning, the room was full. There were balloons, cards, flowers, stuffed animals, but most important of all was family. Their whole family was there. It was a very tight fit, but there were babies, so no one cared. They also showed up with food, which Artie was happy for. Quinn was elated for food, devouring her own and half of Artie’s.

“How come Isis and Freya don’t look alike?” Diana asked with her eyes locked on the babies. Her mother held Isis while Tia handled Freya.

“They’re not identical,” Quinn replied.

“Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if one of them was biologically Artie’s and the other biologically Quinn’s?” Aphrodite said. “They’re twins and sisters, but they’re also both biologically related to each of you?”

Artie shrugged. “It doesn’t make a difference to me.” It never would. She and her sisters only shared one parent, but she never thought less of them. They were sisters. Simple as that.

“Doesn’t matter to me either,” Quinn said. They had talked about who the babies might be biologically, but it never factored into anything they wanted with their family.

In the end, Artie was certain it did not matter to anyone who the twins were related to biologically. Isis and Freya were passed around and cooed over by everyone there. There were tons of pictures taken and love all around. The twins would be fine with this family.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn’s grandparents come to meet the babies.


	37. Love Conquers All

37: Love Conquers All

Quinn sighed and rolled over in the bed, grabbing for Artie, but finding nothing. Her sigh turned into a groan as she remembered Artie went back to work today. She had taken a week off to be with Quinn and their babies, but wanted to save her vacation time for when Quinn went back to work in a couple of months. They were not sure what they would do after that, but they had time to figure it out. She was home alone with the twins for the first time… or so she thought. She could hear voices downstairs.

“Grandma? Papa?” she said to the air. It sounded like her grandparents.

She knew they were coming eventually. They missed the birth of the twins. It was hard to get there in time when the drive was several hours and they had to pack and prepare and things like that. They could not just up and leave. She did not expect them today, though. Grabbing her robe, she checked in on the twins, asleep in their bassinets by the bed, and then marched downstairs. She could hear their voices clearer as she hit the first floor.

“Grandma, Papa, what are you doing here?” Quinn asked, finding them in the kitchen, quite comfortable. She was fine with that. She wanted them to feel like her home was their home.

“Surprise!” Babs said, throwing her hands up. Roger had a cup in his hands and he smiled bit it as he took a sip.

“Well, yes, it is. When did you get here?” Quinn went in for hugs from her grandparents. She held in a wince when they both held her extra-tight. They did not realize how sore she still was. “Nana and Grandaddy didn’t come with you?”

“They weren’t home when we called, but promised to be here as soon as they could last time we spoke to them,” Roger answered.

Quinn nodded. “Want to see the babies?” It took all of her self-control not to clap and bounce on her heels. She doubted there were two more perfect babies in the world. Artie tried to correct her once, but learned never to do that again. Their babies were perfect.

“In due time. How are you doing?” Babs asked with big, concerned eyes. She ran her fingers through Quinn’s hair, trying to soothe her for no reason.

Quinn smiled. “Tired, but in the best way. I miss Artie. I had her here all week, but one of us has to make money.”

Roger chuckled and took another sip from his cup. “Yes, we wanted to talk with you two about that.”

Quinn’s brow furrowed. “What’s on your mind?”

“As you know, your grandmother and I don’t have much to do with our time other than driving around and checking in on other family. We’d like to volunteer our time to help you,” Roger replied.

Quinn’s mouth dropped open. “No, Papa. You both already do so much for us. We can’t ask more of you.” She was not comfortable with taking more from her grandparents. Without them, they would not have been able to afford this house and now her grandparents wanted to give more to help with the babies. “You’re retired. Enjoy your retirement.”

Babs laughed, throwing her head back a little. “You think we’re not enjoying it when we’re with you?”

“Still, we can’t ask more of you,” Quinn said.

“You’re not asking. We’re offering and giving.” Babs reached out and pulled Quinn into a little embrace. “You have people, too. We never want you to feel like you’re alone or on your own without Artie. We’re here and you need us. We’re more than willing to help. Plus, we want to get to know these little goddesses.”

Quinn wanted to object again, but she did not want it to seem like she was rejecting her grandparents. She could rely on them and they would not make the offer if they had not thought long and hard on it. Maybe her grandparents wanted to be around the babies as much as everyone else would.

“Are you both sure?” Quinn asked. “I mean, I know you have other family members to visit with and other things you could be doing.”

“And we’ll get to them as we always have, but you’ll need the help, especially when you go back to work. When are you going back to work? We were shocked Artie was basically running out of here after she let us in this morning,” Roger said.

“Like I said, someone has to make money.” Someone needed to bring in money to keep food on the table and diapers on their daughters’ butts. Besides, Artie’s business was not something she could close down for long periods of time and keep her clients.

“Well, you’ll need babysitting when you go back to work and we’d love to do it,” Babs said with a smile.

“We can have that conversation later on when my spouse gets home. For now, I need to eat and pump.” She had to make sure she ate regularly and Artie made sure the house was full of all of her favorite healthy snacks. So far, pumping milk for the twins was going well. She had enough for both of them and they were not yet difficult, eating and sleeping for the most part.

Over the past week, Artie had taken care of preparing food, wanting to give Quinn time to rest as much as she could. Even though she was gone, she had not stopped. When Quinn opened the refrigerator, she spotted the container of overnight oatmeal with a little note taped to it. She wasted no time reading it: _Love you and our little ones. Can’t wait to see you. Hope this helps make your day a little easier_. Quinn sighed.

“Oh, you look like you just fell in love all over again,” Babs said.

Quinn yelped. For a brief second, she forgot she was not alone. Her grandparents offered her smiles and she rushed off, feeling a blush burning her cheeks. Yes, they knew she was very deeply in love with her spouse, but this felt a little naked. Of course, it would not be the last time her grandparents noticed her fall in love that day. Hell, it was barely an hour later when they saw it again.

The twins were awake and waiting to eat. This was easier to do with Artie around. They each went for one, so it did not seem like they were neglecting the other, but she was only one person, could only hold one baby, and they were both crying for breakfast. Who to take?

“Picking one up doesn’t mean you love the other one less,” her grandmother said, as if reading her mind. She plucked Freya into her arms. “Besides, this one seems less fussy.”

Quinn smiled as she took Isis into her arms. Isis’ face was bright red and she was screaming bloody murder compared to Freya’s normal tears. Isis probably started the wailing. A bottle in her mouth silenced her immediately. Freya wiggled around in Babs’ arms for a moment before accepting her bottle. They went to sit on the couch with both babies.

“Oh, this little one is so hungry,” Babs said as she watched Freya gulp down her bottle.

Quinn nodded. “That’s Freya. So far, she will be the stubborn one and refuse the bottle, but she’ll finish first. Isis seems like she’ll be the most upset when she’s hungry and cries the loudest. She jumps on the bottle as soon as it’s in front of her.”

“They are so adorable,” Roger said as he took a seat at the end of the couch.

Quinn looked down at Isis and felt warmth in her chest. They were more than adorable. They were her life, her love, her everything. They were precious and amazing.

“And you are so in love with them you might as well have hearts in your eyes,” Babs said to Quinn. Her grandmother smiled as she spoke, so she was not the only one in love.

“I love them so much,” Quinn replied and she gave Isis a little squeeze to her chest. “I’m not sure I can put it into words.” Oddly enough, she loved them the way she loved Diana and Juno. Had she bonded with the girls like that? She and Artie referred to her time with them as “parenting,” but she never really thought of it as such. She was not their mother. She was Isis and Freya’s mother, though.

“They’re lucky to have you,” Roger said, hovering behind them to enjoy both babies at once.

Quinn sniffled, feeling a tear inside of her, a fear. “Do you think… do you really believe that?” Ever since giving birth, the thing she was scared of the most was being unprepared for motherhood. She was so scared she would eventually ignore the twins, forget their existence, and they would grow up lost.

Her grandparents gave her soft smiles. “You are full of warmth and love and you wanted these babies so bad. Yes, they are damn lucky to have you and to have Artie,” Roger stated.

“These two will always be the light of your life and if you decide to have another, that one will just add to the love and joy of this family, like you did,” Babs said.

Quinn nodded. She was not sure if they would have another one. The jump from none to two might have been too much for Artie. They had not discussed it yet and probably would not for a while. They had to focus on the twins for now. She would do her best with them and she had Artie with her. They would prevail.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn surprises Artie with a date.


	38. Let’s Do Lunch

38: Let’s Do Lunch

One of the twins was fussy. Quinn had gotten to the point where she could tell it was one and not both, but she was too tired to figure out which one. They had different tones and pitches, but right now it was simply noise to her exhausted mind. With a groan, she was about to get up, but she felt a kiss to the side of her head.

“I got it. It’s only Freya and not both of them,” Artie whispered.

Quinn nodded and was back to sleep before she even properly woke up. She was disturbed a second time when Artie got back into the bed, feeling the shift. Wiggling until she came into contact with her spouse, Quinn sighed as she felt strong arms wrap around her.

“I miss you all so much during the day. I’m happy to take them at night,” Artie said.

The words did not register to Quinn until she was completely awake in the morning. By then, Artie was at work and she was dealing with the twins. These were their days for the past six weeks. They had not had much time for each other, but then again, they did not expect it. They did expect to have family time and it seemed the little time they had together in the evening was not enough for Artie if she was willing to get up at night to be with fussy babies.

“I wish I could take them to her,” Quinn said to the air. They had agreed they would not take the twins until they were three months old, except for doctor’s appointments. Artie also did not want her to try struggling with both of them if it could be helped. She had a backup plan, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie yawned and stretched, eyes on her clock. She was hungry and she had a cancellation, so she could eat something. Unfortunately, she did not have anything to eat. She had stopped taking lunch, in favor of being able to leave the office earlier or squeezing in another client to make a little more money. Quinn continuously told her that she had several ideas for books and had a few already written, so Artie did not need to work herself to death, but Artie did not know how to _not_ provide for her family.

She was drawn from her thoughts as she heard the door open. Looking up, she expected to see a client or her assistant, but instead found Quinn smiling at her. Artie grinned and stood to sweep her wife up in her arms. They shared a kiss that was probably inappropriate for the office, but Artie could not bring herself to care.

“Love, what are you doing here?” Artie asked, not that she minded.

Quinn smiled. “Surprise.” She held up a bag of takeout.

“Surprise, yeah. I could have a client coming at any moment.” Even though that was not reality, it made Artie pout. What if her assistant booked a last minute appointment after the cancellation? It could happen and right now it seemed like the worst thing that could happen. She wanted a moment with her wife.

Quinn pursed her lips and her eyes sparkled. “We both know you don’t. You have a cancellation and I told Karen to call me the second you had one around this time and not tell you. I wanted this to be a surprise.”

“It is an awesome surprise, although I’m not sure how much I like my assistant being more on your side than my own.” It really did not bother her. Karen seemed to like helping Quinn with little plans to make Artie’s day a little easier. Karen liked to point out their relationship was “cute,” which was funny coming from Karen, who was under five feet tall and barely twenty years old.

“Oh, you’re going to be teased mercilessly when this day is over,” Quinn replied.

“I have no doubt about that.” This would probably be fodder until Artie showed Karen pictures of the twins. It was agreed they were both perfect and adorable and Karen was happy with daily updates, but loved when it was the twins and their big cousin Emilio. She had already dubbed them _The Three Musketeers_ , which Quinn and Yvonne used as well.

“Come on, let’s sit down.” Quinn stepped over to the desk.

Artie moved to quickly remove clutter from her desk to make space for their meal. Quinn laid out the containers and their drinks before moving the chair on the opposite side of the desk to sit next to hers. They could sit side by side for lunch.

“So, who did you trust with the babies?” Artie asked, her hand casually resting on Quinn’s thigh.

“Tori. She was all too happy to watch them. I think she’s scared she won’t get as much time with them when my grandparents descend upon us to watch them when I go back to work,” Quinn replied.

Artie nodded. “Poor Nana. She thought this would be like when the pantheon was little and she watched them for Mom. But, she’s happy you have good people to have your back. We’re very lucky.”

“Yes, we are.”

“I’m also lucky to have such a considerate wife, who thinks to bring me lunch on random days.” Artie smiled.

“Yes, I know you’re working hard for us and I wanted to treat you to your favorite lamb dish. I’m going to eat some, too, but I’ll let you enjoy it as much as possible.” Quinn winked.

“Oh, I’ll enjoy it more watching you eat it.” Artie smirked. She loved to indulge in watching Quinn’s mouth work.

Quinn snickered as Artie popped open their containers. The smell of lamb made her mouth water and then it mixed with the smell of beef and Artie wanted to eat everything. Her stomach concurred by grumbling loud enough for Quinn to stare at her for a moment. Maybe she should stop skipping lunch.

“You want some lamb now before I mix it with the quinoa?” Artie asked. No one save her and Vega would touch quinoa and heavens forbid someone planned to share food with them and the quinoa touched anything. They would be branded the worst sort of people for the rest of the day.

Quinn winced. “Yes, please.”

Artie did not understand the aversion to quinoa, but she did not question it. She poured some lamb and vegetables into the lid of Quinn’s container and then stole a bit of beef for herself. Quinn arched an eyebrow to her.

“It’s bad enough you skip lunch, but you know your stomach isn’t going to like that,” Quinn said, nodding toward Artie’s fork.

“It was just a little piece.” Over the years, she had cut red meat from her diet, but every now and then sneaked a bit. Her stomach was no longer a fan, though. “So, what are the mini-goddesses up to?”

“Same thing as always, eating, sleeping, and pooping. You’re not missing as much as you think you are,” Quinn replied as she opened her bottle of fruit punch. She took a sip before turning her attention to her food.

Artie smiled. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better.” No matter what she would always miss her wife and children while she was away. She imagined things would be worse for Quinn when she went back to work in a couple of weeks. After all, she had two months to sit with their daughters and bask in their light. “Are you sure you want to go back to work so soon?”

Quinn nodded. “Not so much that I want to, but we need the money.”

“Can’t you just write the great American novel or something?” Artie grinned, knowing her eyes shined with amusement. She ate some of her quinoa and bit back a moan as the taste flooded her mouth. She really needed to stop skipping lunch.

Quinn chuckled and dug into her food with zeal. “Apparently not. I think I’m doing pretty good, though. Still, we need the money. When are you writing another book?”

“As soon as my ghostwriter can make time for me.” She gave her wife a wink.

Quinn put her hand on Artie’s knee and caressed it with her thumb. “I always have time for you. I also have already written two books waiting for publication, so we can work on another for you if you want.”

Artie nodded. “I’d like that. I’ve been seeing a lot of trans kids and gender queer kids and I want to reach out to the ones who can’t make it to my office. Reach out to their parents and let them all know it’s okay. I want to give some history at the beginning of the book, too, so they can all see this isn’t something new and it’s not strange, weird, or wrong to everyone. I’ve done research on other cultures it appears in and everything. I’ve actually got notes and my chapters laid out.”

“Sounds like you’re ready for this. I look forward to working with you.”

It was Artie’s turn to laugh. They sat in silence for a moment, eating their lunches. After a few minutes, Quinn got out of her chair and sat on Artie’s lap. It had been a long time since she had done that, always fretting over her weight when she was pregnant.

“Is this fine?” Quinn asked.

Artie put her arm around Quinn and stroked her hip. “I miss this closeness.”

“You miss everything.” Quinn kissed her cheek. “You hold me like this every night. Hell, sometimes, you hold me like this while we sit on the couch and watch the girls just sleep.”

Artie sighed and nuzzled her wife. “I love you all so much.”

Quinn kissed the corner of her mouth. “We love you, too.”

Artie sat up a little straighter and held onto Quinn a little tighter. She was so fortunate to have met Quinn. Before Quinn, the thought of having a family of her own, raising kids of her own never would have entered her mind. She had planned to let her career drive her and have fun along the way, but she felt this was so much better. The best laid plans. She was happy they fell through.

“You will forever be a miracle to me, Princess,” Artie said.

“You know the feeling is very much mutual,” Quinn replied.

Artie went in for a kiss and Quinn did not seem to mind she tasted of quinoa. As the kiss continued, Quinn played with the short hairs at the nape of Artie’s neck, causing her to smile against Quinn’s lips.

“Thank you.”

Quinn arched an eyebrow. “For lunch?”

“For lunch, for our babies, for our relationship. For everything. This wasn’t the life I pictured as an adult before I met you, but now I can’t imagine it any other way. And, even when I had dreams of us having children, it wasn’t like this. This reality to me is the best possible reality… except, you know, if I could stay home and be with you all. I’ve got to go win the lottery or something.”

Quinn laughed and kissed Artie again. “You’re fine. We’re fine. Thank you for all of this, baby. You made this all possible. Without you, I’m still out there looking for the perfect man and finding none or I’m married to some jerk and hoping for the best. And, no twins. The horror.” Their daughters were only seven weeks old, but they could not imagine a life without them now.

“You would’ve been fine, but this is…” Artie sighed and nuzzled Quinn’s neck once more, peace flowing through her like it always did when she was with her wife. She could not ask for more. Grateful did not cover it. Now, she could not wait for the day to be over, so she could go home and be with their babies and hold Quinn at home like she held her now. This was perfect.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: family portrait time.


	39. Take a Picture

39: Take a Picture

“You’re sure you want them dressed like this for their pictures?” Lois asked Quinn. Her Nana and Granddaddy had shown up a few days ago, deciding to stick around for a while like her other grandparents. Apparently, she and Artie would never be short of babysitters while she went back to work. For the moment, they were rooming with Artie’s grandparents, thinking Quinn and Artie might have space issues because of Artie’s sisters. Quinn could not believe how helpful everyone was. This was what a true family was like? It blew her mind.

“Yes, I want them dressed like this.” Quinn smiled down at her daughters, who were kicking about on the living room floor. She tapped each one on the nose. Isis giggled while Freya opened her mouth, trying to wiggle her nose.

“But, they look like little boys,” Lois said with a pout.

“Just like their daddy,” Quinn replied as she looked up, hearing Artie come downstairs. 

Artie was dressed in her old vintage clothes. They were going out for family portraits and Quinn decided at the last minute she wanted to do theme pictures. So, the twins were dressed in newsboy outfits, like Artie used to wear. Artie had on a pair of her old black knickerbockers, matching vest, teal shirt, and high socks. The sight made Quinn bounce a little.

Lois blushed. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know, Nana, but they’re just clothes. We all match, outfits anyway, and they’re cute,” Quinn said. She had on tan knickerbockers, yellow shirt, vest, and yellow high socks.

Artie scooped up Freya, who was closest to her. “Yes, you are. You are so cute, my baby.” Freya was dressed in the same type of outfit, but with green knickerbockers, vest, green shirt, and high socks.

Quinn picked up Isis, who was in a red and black outfit. This was becoming a habit. Whenever one twin was with someone, Quinn made sure she had the other one if no one else did. It was just that she wanted them to get equal attention. She had not seen evidence of anyone having a favorite, but she never wanted one of her daughters to feel neglected.

“Your mom is cute, too.” Artie went in to kiss Quinn’s cheek.

“Being on time is cute as well, so let’s get moving,” Quinn said, shooing Artie toward the door. They had a twenty-minute drive ahead of them for their picture appointment in thirty minutes. She hoped this turned out as adorable as it was in her head. They had tons of pictures of the babies already, but these would be their first professional pictures as a family. She wanted it to go perfect and part of perfect was being on time.

-8-8-8-8-

Okay, so the photo shoot was more exhausting than Quinn expected. Isis was not a fan of being made to look like she was standing up. Freya was not a fan being posed point blank. They got hungry before they should have. They did not like the photographer talking in their general area. But, they got the pictures and she was confident they would look amazing. Still, it was nice to be home. She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they crossed the threshold.

“You see this one? Doesn’t Freya look just like her,” Tori’s voice carried to them.

“What’s my nana doing here?” Artie asked.

Quinn shrugged. They made their way to the living room to find all of their grandparents sitting around the room. There were stacks of books and it took her a moment to realize they were photo albums.

“What’s all this?” Artie asked, putting down the car seat that held Isis. She bent down, setting about the task of freeing the baby.

“We’re looking at pictures of you two as babies, trying to figure out who looks like who,” Andre replied.

“Baby pictures? Of me?” Quinn asked. She did not think there was very many of them, definitely not enough for an album.

“We brought books of you when we first came.” Cliff patted a stack next to him. “We wanted to see if the girls looked like you.”

Artie grinned. “I wanna see! I bet you’re cute as a button.” She picked Isis up and rushed over to the couch to see the pictures.

Quinn was curious herself. She had seen pictures of Artie as what she affectionately called “a little boy,” but seeing pictures of herself as a baby were rare. She freed Freya from her car seat and found a space on the couch.

“You look like you were a handful, Artie,” Babs commented, examining a page of pictures in Tori’s lap. Quinn leaned over to see as well. The first one to catch her eye was a little Artie and Vega, who was surprisingly tall, lying in a patch of grass, both covered in dirt.

“She certainly kept me on my toes when she was a kid,” Andre said.

“Oh, look who fell asleep on their granddaddy.” Artie pointed to a picture in the album Lois held on her lap. There was mini-Quinn, fast asleep against Cliff’s chest. Cliff was posed in a “shh” position for the photo.

“Where did you get these photo albums?” Quinn asked.

“They were the first things Lois grabbed when we decided to come out here. She took a long walk down memory lane about you and the disbelief that you had babies now,” Cliff replied. 

“It seems like you were just a baby yourself. Where did the time go?” Lois sighed.

“You were adorable.” Tori tapped an album in Babs’ lap.

Quinn blushed. Before she could say anything with the hope of playing off her embarrassment, everyone turned their attention back to the pictures. Artie snickered.

“Oh, Isis totally looks like you here.” Artie pointed to a picture of Quinn as a little baby, sleeping with her butt in the air. The twins were not at that stage yet, still sleeping on their backs, as they were just over three months old.

Quinn shook her head. She was not interested in seeing who Isis and Freya looked like. But, she was all for seeing Artie as a baby and child.

“Oh, wait, I got you guys one better.” Artie pulled out her phone and brought up the pictures from today.

Quinn gasped. “Artie, the photographer asked you not do that. He’s going to email us the pictures as soon as possible.”

“Well, maybe I want his pictures and I want my own.” Artie passed the phone along, so their grandparents could see the twins lying on cushions, smiling in their newsboy outfits. They were darling and the grandparents all ohh’ed and aw’ed appropriately.

“When they get old enough, I want to do a shoot with you and the twins in suits,” Quinn said with an excited giggle.

“Sounds good. I already bought them little suits.” Artie grinned.

Quinn knew Artie bought the suits already. She also bought Emilio a suit, so he was definitely going to have to be involved in the shoot, but that was not for another three months for the girls to be able to fit into their clothes. She looked forward to that.

“They are so cute!” Lois cooed and she leaned over, covering Freya’s cheeks with kisses. Freya whined and squirmed, making Lois laugh.

“Oh, it reminds me of this one.” Tori flipped through her photo album and grabbed a picture of Artie dressed in a newsboy outfit. “She’s six here. Her grandfather did this to her.”

“Oh, my god, you’re even wearing the hat.” Quinn could not help squealing. Six-year-old Artie had on her infamous bowler, which she got from her grandfather and wore as often as she could, including for pictures today.

“How did you even think to dress her like that?” Roger asked.

Andre shrugged. “We were flipping through a history book and she saw some boys dressed like this. It was all her idea.”

Artie arched her eyebrow. “I don’t remember it quite that way.”

“You were six. Your memory of the events aren’t reliable,” Andre replied.

Quinn laughed and Artie gave her a pout. “I’m sorry, sweetie. He has a point, though.”

“He just doesn’t want credit for turning me into a weirdo, who dressed in vintage clothing from a young age,” Artie replied.

There were a couple of chuckles and they continued through the photo albums. Quinn took note of the many things Artie did as a child and how she dressed. She wanted their daughters to have active childhoods, like Artie’s, full of grand adventures, scraped knees, laughter, and friendship. She wanted them to get to explore the outside world and also themselves. A reminder that their daughters needed to be able to express who they were came up in a picture of Artie in a dress. She looked like the very definition of misery.

“Oh, the dark ages,” Andre said when he noticed the picture. Tori frowned.

“The dark ages?” Cliff turned his attention fully to Andre.

Tori shook her head. “It was nothing.”

Quinn knew about it and it was far from “nothing.” It was the start of rough times between Artie and Tori, as Tori had not accepted Artie being a boy. Tori had tried to force girly things on Artie, probably forced Artie into that dress. The only thing that stuck was teddy bears and Quinn felt like that stuck just because it made Artie feel closer to her grandmother, who she loved deeply, even when they were at odds. Quinn did not want this with her daughters. She wanted them to be able to come to her with anything and she wanted to be able to help them through everything.

Turning to Artie, their eyes met and without words, Quinn knew Artie was right there with her. The twins would have their support throughout their lives, regardless of what happened. There would be no judgment. Yes, they would have loving words and advice. Hell, they might even say why they thought something was a bad idea, but they would never make the twins feel less than for any reason, even if they were wrong.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: sick babies.


	40. It’ll Be Okay

40: It’ll Be Okay

“Oh, my poor little Isis.” Artie cradled the bawling six-month-old to her chest. Isis’ face, usually a fair cream, was bright red from wailing and she kept rubbing her cheeks, as if that would cure her of her fever.

Artie settled into the rocking chair in the nursery and slowly rocked Isis. She recited what she felt was the baby’s favorite story, or maybe it was her favorite story and she liked telling it, but it was important for the twins to know why the old woman lived in a shoe. She had too many kids and no plan.

“You always gotta have a plan. Even if your plan doesn’t work out, it’s best to have one,” Artie said.

Isis whined, but she closed her eyes. She fidgeted, whined, and wiggled, but it slowed with every passing second. Artie went through a couple of other nursery rhymes, warning Isis of running off with spoons and not to scared of sneaky spiders sitting next to her. Eventually, she fell asleep.

Isis had been sick for the past couple of days. The fever spike this morning had prompted a trip to the doctor. Poor Quinn had lost what little color she had and had shaken the whole time, as if Isis had the Plague. Artie could understand it. This was Quinn’s first time dealing with a sick baby. She was surprised her wife had not worried herself sick.

As she thought of Quinn, a buzz came through her cell phone. Quinn wanted to know how Isis was doing. She was in their bedroom with Freya, hoping to keep Freya from catching whatever Isis had. Artie doubted it would help, but it made Quinn feel better, so she did not say anything about it.

“She’s asleep,” Artie said to the phone, letting it handle creating the text message response. She was not surprised when Quinn video called her. “How’s my little Norse warrior?”

“Freya is missing her big sister. She’s fussy and doesn’t want to eat,” Quinn replied and she could hear Freya letting out low whimpers.

Artie considered that might be the start of sickness and not so much missing her twin, but she kept that to herself. “Is she crying?” It did not sound like it.

“No. She’s kind of moaning and groaning without crying.”

“Hopefully, she’ll go to sleep soon. And her mom should do the same.” She did not want Quinn to stress herself out. Of course, the worry lines marring Quinn’s eyes already screamed stressed out.

Quinn shook her head. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep. I want to hold Isis.”

“I know.” They had already gone through Quinn wanting to hold and comfort Isis, but also frightened she would give the illness to Freya.

“I’m going to come see her as soon as Freya goes to sleep.”

“Okay. I’m sure she’d like a little comfort from her mommy.” Artie was not sure what she would do, though, when she saw Quinn with Isis. Witnessing how Quinn broke down in the doctor’s office just finding out Isis was sick was more than Artie could handle. She wanted to comfort Quinn, but she knew the only thing that would make things better for Quinn was if their daughter was healthy again. She would have to wait this one out, even though it made her stomach hurt.

“Can I sing to her?”

“She’s right here. She can hear you.”

Quinn liked to sing jazz songs to the twins, which they always fell asleep to. Isis was already asleep, but a smile tugged at her lips as soon as the song started. She was happy to hear her mommy’s voice.

“You hear her cooing?” Artie asked. The sound was faint, ear straining, but Isis was cooing as her mommy sang.

Quinn laughed, but it sounded like a sob. She did not stop singing, though. Isis mewed before falling into a deep sleep. Artie kissed her forehead. It was still hot, but definitely not as much as before. Artie rubbed the baby’s head.

“I wish I could make you better,” Artie whispered. It was tough, but she knew Isis would be all right. “I’m more worried about your mommy. She’s not taking this well.”

-8-8-8-8-

“I don’t understand,” Quinn cried, big, hot tears pouring down her face as she sat on the bed. Artie went to her, hugging Quinn to her, pressing Quinn to her chest. Quinn buried her face in Artie’s shirt and soaked Artie’s shirt with her tears.

“It’s very likely throughout their lives when one gets sick, the other will get sick. They’re always around each other. They’re always around us. That’s just how it’s going to go,” Artie said. Freya was sick now, too. The babies were in their own bassinets, having fitful sleeps. They scheduled a trip to the doctor if Artie could get Quinn to hold it together and get out the door.

“I was trying so hard to make sure she didn’t catch it,” Quinn said. “I hate it. Now, they’re both in pain and hurt and I can’t do anything about it.”

Artie held Quinn in a firm embrace. “They’re going to be fine. It’s okay.”

“I’m terrible at this already. I’m so terrible. They’re going to grow up to hate me and Yvonne and Vega are going to hate me, too, because we got Emilio sick.”

Artie stroked Quinn’s hair. “No, baby, no. They’re going to love you, just like you love them. Yvonne and Vega know when one of the Three Musketeers gets sick, the others will follow. It’s fine. You’re worried about them and that’s fine. I just don’t want you to worry yourself sick. Save that for when they need to drive.”

Quinn chuckled. “No, don’t make jokes. Our babies are sick and crying and I’m a horrible mother for laughing while that’s happening.”

“You are not horrible. Listen to me, Princess.” Artie tucked her hand under Quinn’s chin and got her to look up. “You are a wonderful mother. The twins are lucky to have you and they love you. They’ve been trying to say mama since they started making sounds.” Okay, they made noises and sometimes there was an “em” sound in there, but most of the time it was high-pitch chirping, but it would probably evolve into “mama.” Artie kissed Quinn’s forehead. “Princess, they’re going to get sick. It’s a part of life. I know right now it seems really scary because they’re so small and helpless, but they’ll make it through this and so will you. Now, we have a date with the doctor to get Freya the same exact diagnosis as Isis.”

Quinn pulled back and Artie winced. “We don’t know if it’s the same thing. This could be different and I don’t want to take that chance.”

“Neither do I, so let’s go.” Artie popped Quinn on the butt. That was the thing that sprung Quinn into action, much like it did with Artie when Quinn popped her. Artie was not as in favor of going to the doctor as Quinn, but she understood why Quinn wanted to do so. There was a chance Freya did not have what Isis had and this something serious or just different. Artie would rather err on the side of caution there.

Of course, this would not be the last breakdown Quinn had involving their daughters, but Artie would always be there to help her bring it back together. It was a little difficult when the twins went in for their first shots. They had held off on vaccinations, following the lead of Yvonne and Vega, who waited over six months to get Emilio his first shots. Artie and Quinn had decided to wait and their doctor respected that. When the time came, Quinn cried more than the girls and had to leave the room, which, funny enough was what happened to Vega with Emilio, including the crying to hear Yvonne tell it. Artie ended up taking her wife out for lunch to help calm her down. The twins were fine.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn and Artie reflects on their family.


	41. Getting It Right

41: Getting It Right

Artie was laid out on the floor, knocked out cold. The twins drooled on either side of her, using her arms as pillows. Quinn smiled as she snapped a picture. She had plenty of pictures of the twins asleep on Artie, but they never seemed to get old. She looked forward to years of such pictures. For now, she watched her family sleep and delighted in the image.

Being a mom, having children of her own, it seemed so scary, especially when they got sick. She thought she was the worst human being to ever live because she could not make them feel better. She could not cure them and while intellectually she knew that was not her fault, emotionally she was heartsick. Artie gave her the support she needed to get through it and she knew things would always be that way. With Artie by her side, not only did this not seem as scary, but it was fun much of the time and she had faith it would work. She would not raise their daughters the way she had been raised.

She worried about showing one of the girls too much attention or not enough attention. Artie always made it seem so easy. She did not favor one of the other, even as they developed little facets to their personalities that did not seem to mix well with her own; Freya was the serious one and would not stand for Artie “stealing her nose.” Quinn did not favor one over the other either, but always felt like if she did something with one, she immediately had to do something with the other. Artie never seemed to think about it, just doing it on instinct.

 _Will it ever be like that for me?_ She hoped so, or she would stress the rest of her life. But, with Artie by her side, she knew most of the stress would be over nothing and Artie would help her overcome. Still, thinking about this was the rest of her life was still a little frightening.

Before Artie, having a family of her own had barely been a fantasy, a flight of fancy for Quinn. Now, it was a reality. Not just with their children, who were beautiful gifts and the best of blessings, but with the pantheon in general. She felt so much love for the sisters and their grandparents and her own grandparents. It was all so much.

“How could I have ever thought I loved Thomas when I couldn’t see all of this with him?” Quinn could not believe less than ten years ago she dared to think she knew what love was with her high school boyfriend. She did not even know what love was point blank back then. But, how could she? Her world had been so limited back then.

Now, her world was these three sleeping forms. In their orbit, the pantheon, her grandparents, and several close friends. This was more than she had ever had. More than she thought she deserved sometimes. It was a wonderful life.

She went to grab a couple of blankets, wanting to cover the babies. It was tempting to pick them up, put them in a bed, but she learned from Artie, it was not necessary. It was fine to let them nap on the floor. They all looked so happy. She covered Isis with her favorite blanket, a sky blue with grinning ducklings. She put Freya’s favorite blanket on her, dark purple with happy snowmen, which never failed to make Freya giggle. Artie got her own blanket, a plain fleece cover. She then gave them each a kiss on the forehead.

“I love you so much,” she said, caressing Freya’s hair briefly and then switching to Isis, who had a full head of dark brown hair now. She was so full of love. “Better go get some writing done while I have the chance.” She lingered for a long moment, though.

-8-8-8-8-

Artie came home, feeling particularly rundown. It was a tough day. Everyone she saw seemed particularly stubborn today and one teen got in her face, trying to push her into a yelling match. It did not work, but she was so drained having to talk everyone down today and then a giggle caught her attention.

Several others followed the one laugh. Artie changed course from going upstairs to going to the living room. Quinn was on the floor with their daughters, making a stuffed bunny dance and recite poetry in a high-pitched voice. Not just any poetry, either. No, Lord Byron from what Artie could tell. She smiled.

Their daughters would be the most well read kindergarteners when things came to it. Quinn liked to read them Jane Austen and classical Greek plays. It would have been absurd to most people, but Artie had been read Greek myths as a child by both grandparents and her mother. It was a tradition she kept up and included Egyptian and Norse myths, too. They had to know about their namesakes, after all.

All the tension that gripped Artie’s body melted away as warmth overcame her. The babies laughed like Quinn was doing the funniest thing ever as she made the bunny move dramatically and their toothless smiles were enough to have Artie forget her hardships. How could she have any hardships? She had this beautiful family.

She could not help thinking about how this had never been her plan before she met Quinn. She had always figured she would focus on her career. She would have girlfriends along the way, but she never considered she would be married, yet here she was. She definitely did not think she would have children, but there were the twins and she could not be happier.

Her career was fulfilling, even on days like this, but coming home to her family was something on a different level. She had children. She had the mother of her children. She thought she would know how it would feel, considering she had raised her sisters, but it was different. She never tried to compare the feelings, but it was just not what she expected.

Part of her wondered why the hell she had not considered children in the past. She adored the twins with an intensity that sometimes hurt her chest. They would have the same power over her that Diana had, that Quinn had. She would never be able to deny them. She would never be able to let them go. She feared if Quinn ever approached her about more children, she would cave like wet tissue. There would never be a way for her to say no.

“Are you going to come in or just stare at us?” Quinn asked, not taking her eyes from their daughters.

“Well, I think I should get out of my work stuff.” Artie tugged at her collared shirt, even though Quinn was not looking at her.

“We’ll be right here, Daddy,” Quinn replied.

It should have sounded filthy coming from her wife, but it sounded playful and right. She was a daddy, to her own kids, not her sisters, and the woman she was married to accepted that. Never in a million years had she suspected she would find a woman willing to settle down with her with her gender fluidity. She always imagined women would see it as a quirk, as they often did, an amusement, a curiosity, but would eventually get sick of it and she would move onto the next woman. But, there would not and could not be a woman after Quinn.

Artie quickly changed her clothes and rejoined her family. She picked up the twins, kissing them soundly on their cheeks, which they did not seem to appreciate as it took them from the wonderful things their mom was doing with their dolls. Artie then leaned over, giving Quinn a peck on the lips. She could not help the hum that escaped her as their lips touched.

Quinn offered her a small smile as they pulled away. “That type of day, huh?”

“It’s shaping up to be better.” Artie smiled in return, grabbing a plush tiger to join the bunny in its dance. She was not sure if she would be able to spout Bryon off the top of her head, though.

“Just from seeing us?” Quinn asked, a sparkle in her eyes.

“Seeing you with them never fails to right my world. Seeing you all fills my heart so much.” Artie glanced at the twins, who were slapping the floor in their excitement.

Quinn nodded. “I know what you mean. I feel the same way. Seeing you with them gives me strength. Whenever I worry I might screw them up, I’m always empowered when I remember you’re by my side.”

Artie scowled. “What? Why would you worry about that? You’re an excellent mother, Princess. You’ll be fine.” She caressed Quinn’s soft cheek.

“I can’t help but worry, with my upbringing and all.”

Artie knew that was true, but she would never admit it aloud. She would simply continue to encourage her wife. Quinn was an amazing mother and Artie was honored to raise children with her.

“Princess, I wouldn’t want to do this family thing with anyone else. Hell, I doubt any other woman would want to do it with me. You’re special, Quinn. Everything about you is special and I’m so glad our daughters have you here. I mean it.” Reaching over, this time she stroked Quinn’s knee with her thumb.

Quinn smiled. “Thank you for saying so and I wouldn’t want to have a family with anyone else. I know you always have my back.”

“I do. And, you’re the only woman who can call me Daddy and it’s not dirty.” Artie snickered.

Quinn blushed all the way up to her elfish ears. “It didn’t even occur to me! I just figured Isis and Freya would call you that.”

Artie looked at them and cooed at them. They spit back at her, which was something they started to do. “I should hope so.” Leaning down, she blew a raspberry in each of their cheeks. Only Isis thought it was funny. Freya might have even glared at her. “If Freya doesn’t decide to murder me in my sleep when she learns how to walk.”

Quinn chuckled. “She’ll love you, Dad.”

Artie smiled, even though it did not matter. She loved Freya, just as she loved Isis. She was honored to be their dad.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: a couple of milestones to share with this family.


	42. One by One

42: One by One

Isis and Freya were both little noisemakers. Sometimes, Quinn thought they were in competition. They were like noisy birds with the occasional dolphin-like sound. It would have been distressing if she did not know Emilio made similar sounds and Artie told her babies did that. Quinn was not sure what to make of it, but it was very distracting when she was trying to write. She was the only one home and thought she could watch the girls and put in work on her next book. How wrong she was.

“I wish I knew what the heck you two were talking about,” Quinn said.

“Mama,” Freya gurgled.

Quinn gasped and turned, eyes going to the playpen her daughters were in. Had Freya just said “mama” or did she imagine that? Freya did not glance at her, focusing on her sister and then trying to eat a teddy bear. Freya liked to chew on everything, except her teething rings. Isis would chew on anything in general, including her sister whenever she managed to get close enough. Freya looked like she was about to get too close, but she needed to learn to stay away from her teething sister somehow. _Probably just my imagination_. Quinn turned her attention back to her screen, but glanced over at the babies every now and then.

Freya pulled herself back from Isis as the older twin snatched her teddy bear from Freya. Freya let out a noise that could have been an objection. Isis’ response was sharp, but more nonsense. Where was a dolphin to translate? The sounds ceased as Freya found a blanket that apparently looked appetizing.

“Mama,” Freya’s voice cut through the silence.

Quinn knew she had not imagined that, so she got up and went to the playpen. Freya and Isis looked up at her, smiling brightly. They made their usual chirping noises and sounds and then Freya did it again.

“Mama!”

“Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Oh, my god!” Quinn looked around, waved her hands, and paced. She did not know what to do, who to call. She was home alone. Artie was at the gym and her grandparents were out, needing some time to themselves after being so helpful since the twins were born.

“Mama!”

Quinn yanked her phone from her desk and dialed Artie. “Pick up, pick up, pick up!”

“Hey, Princess,” Artie greeted her.

“Freya said ‘mama!’ Her first word. Her word was mama!” Quinn felt like pacing the whole room, even up the walls, but remained rooted in place. She stared down at the babies, who waved at her. She arched an eyebrow. Why were they waving? She did not have time to contemplate that.

“Oh, my god! Why is she talking when I’m not there?” Artie sounded like she was moving around. “Vega, come on! My baby is talking and I’m not home!”

Quinn could hear Vega grunting and complaining, as that was what she did. She had to understand Artie’s excitement, though. Vega called Artie screaming when Emilio said his first words, also mama, which had been directed toward Yvonne. Emilio cutely referred to Vega as “love,” as that was what Yvonne called her often enough.

“Mama!” Freya waved more.

“Do you hear this?” Quinn cried, actually cried. Tears flowed right down her cheeks. She was someone’s “mama.”

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” She could hear her spouse’s frantic movement.

“Don’t have an accident, please. I’m sure she’ll say it again and I’ll record it!”

Artie grunted and Quinn disconnected the call. She turned on her camera and aimed it at Freya, who was now draped over Isis and Isis was trying to wiggle away. Poor Isis was like a turtle on her back and it did not help she was halfway on her teddy bear. Isis barked, almost like a wolf pup, and tried to swing on Freya, who was not fazed by it at all. Freya snuggled into Isis, who grunted and whined. Quinn sighed and helped Isis out. The pair went to different corners.

“Okay, Freya, hit us with it again,” Quinn said, aiming her camera at the younger twin.

Freya let out a loud shriek, which Isis matched with her own. They went back to wailing, more to the ceiling than at each other. Quinn sighed and went back to her computer. She felt like she was only drawn into her work for a minute, but then she heard the front door open. It had to be more than a minute or Artie knew how to fly.

“Has she said anything else? Is Isis talking, too?” Artie asked, bursting into the office. The twins were still doing their usual noises.

“They’re doing that.” Quinn jabbed her thumb toward them.

“What?” Artie turned to the babies and grinned at them. Quinn turned to see them grin in return. They threw their hands out for Artie. “I’ve seen this act several times. How are they part dolphin?”

“I’m sure that’s you. Your genes all the way.” Quinn went back to her work.

“Why is it always my genes when they do something weird? You’re just as weird as I am. You only take credit when they do stuff that’s cute or smart,” Artie replied.

“Because I’m cute and smart,” Quinn said, throwing a smirk over her shoulder.

Artie did not dispute that, attention on the babies. But, a watched pot never boiled and Artie was out of luck for hearing Freya’s first word at that time. It was not until they were putting the babies to sleep did Freya surprise them again.

“Mama…” Freya yawned, scratched her face and nodded off. Artie almost woke her up with her loud gasp.

Quinn groaned under her breath. “Why doesn’t she wait until I’m holding my phone to do that?”

“Like you could grab your phone with your hands full of Isis.” Artie nodded toward Isis, who held her bottle, even in her sleep. Freya refused to hold her bottle on her own.

“Why is she so heavy?” Quinn made a show of slightly shifting Isis in her arms. Isis was the heavier of the twins. Or at least felt that way. She certainly had more folds and dimples.

“Because she’s well fed and dense. Isis will one day become a black hole.” Artie smirked and Quinn chuckled. Isis grunted in her sleep, which only made her parents snicker.

Of course, for all Artie’s teasing of Isis, Isis was the first one to say “dada” and possibly as revenge, she said it to Quinn. Artie was not amused, but excited over the twins starting to talk. Both she and Quinn wondered and spoke on what they thought the girls would be like as they got older. Who would they take after? What would their favorite things be? What movies would they like?

-8-8-8-8-

Artie remembered things with Aphrodite and Venus fairly well, even though she was a little kid when they were babies. Like the other girls, they learned from their siblings, but not her. They had each other. Isis and Freya were the same, so they did things one after each other as they followed each other.

So, when Freya stood up, Artie knew Isis would not be far behind. But, she was surprised when Isis was the first one to take a step. Even more surprising, Isis decided to do this when everyone was over the house for the twins’ first birthday party.

“Oh, my god!” Diana shrieked, pointing into the living room.

At first, Artie did not think anything of it. Diana marveled over Emilio and the twins all the time. But, Artie was nearby and turned to see what was happening in the living room. She gasped.

“Oh, my god, Quinn!” Artie moved to get a better look of Isis taking a wobbly step toward Emilio, who was waving around Isis’ favorite stuffed toy, probably planning to throw it. He threw everything, regardless of if someone was trying to take it from him or not.

Artie’s shout brought more people, including Quinn, but they just missed the three steps Isis took before she fell in about three stages. She went down knees, butt, and then tilted over to her side. Emilio, being the little sweetheart he was, which he certainly got from Yvonne, tried to help her up, after throwing the toy of course. Freya watched them, holding herself on the couch.

“He’s so chivalrous.” Morgan grinned, clasping her hands together. She had come for the party. She had met the twins plenty of times and was very familiar with Emilio.

“He gets it from his grandfather,” Aphrodite said as Vega opened her mouth, undoubtedly to take credit for Emilio’s white-knighting. Vega gave Aphrodite a glare. Aphrodite grinned and wisely slinked off, going about her business. 

“Whoever he gets it from, he’s a cutie.” Morgan leaned down, kissing Emilio’s cheek. He whined and fell over while the twins cheered. Isis put her hands up, wanting her Aunt Morgan and Morgan wasted no time picking her up.

“No, put her down! She might walk again!” Yvonne waved, motioning to the floor.

“I can’t! This one is mine!” Morgan took off, pretending to run away with Isis. Isis giggled, but Morgan put her down, earning a whine from Isis. Isis put her hands up, but Morgan did not pick her up. Morgan took a step back, trying to tempt Isis to walk. “Come on, sweetie. Come to auntie!”

“I feel like that’s not gonna work, but whatever. Come on, Isis!” Venus joined in. She was not alone. Yvonne and Diana tried to get Isis to come to them as well. It did not work, but no one was ready to give up.

The rest of the day was spent trying to get both Isis and Freya to walk in a variety of different ways, most of which included bribery of some kind. This went beyond their parents and aunts. Much of Yvonne’s family was also there, as they had kids and it was nice to have children at a children’s party. A couple of their neighbors were also there. They had kids and were somewhat friendly. For all the people trying to get the twins to walk, it did not happen again.

“I can’t believe I missed her first steps!” Quinn huffed, shoving garbage into the bag in her hand. She and Artie were cleaning up from the party.

Artie shrugged. “She’ll walk again and Freya will follow.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re so nonchalant, but you spent the whole day trying to get the girls to talk when you missed their first words. You didn’t say they’d talk again and shrug it off,” Quinn replied.

Artie wisely did not argue that. It was the truth. But, what she said was also true. The babies would walk and they would see it eventually. And it would be a marvel then, just as it was now.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the twins spend some time with their great-grandparents.


	43. Darling Little Ones

43: Darling Little Ones

Doctor Tori Brenner had expected to have a lot more time with her great granddaughters than she did, but it was for a good reason. She thought she would watch the twins for Artie and Quinn as she did for her own daughter to make sure the parents could continue to work without having to worry over daycare. Her plan was changed when Quinn’s grandparents decided to stay over several times for long stretches of time. She did not mind them. They deserved time as much as she did.

Vega’s father had been very helpful, providing Quinn’s grandparents with free lodging each time out now, so they would not be in Artie and Quinn’s way at their home. The first time Quinn’s grandparents had come over for the babies, they had stayed with Tori and Andre. It was a good way to bond together, to become friends, but it was better for them to stay on Mahmoud’s resort after a while. Too many different personalities trying to exist in too small a space, but Tori liked them, even though she still expected more time with the twins than she got.

For now, she would not complain. She had the twins and little Emilio for the day. She was not bothered by having all three on her own. She was used to a gaggle of children, after all.

“You three certainly are not hurting for toys,” Tori said to the trio, who were all focused on a toy piano that also taught the alphabet and numbers. They were more interested in trying to tug it from each other. After a few seconds, the twins decided work together against Emilio, who refused to let up on the toy despite the double-team. She would let them do that for a few more minutes, but then she had books to read to them.

She had read to Anna and all of her grandchildren when they were growing up. It had instilled them all with a love of learning, curiosity, and a deep desire to know more, which she was proud of. Being a college professor, she knew those things were hard to come by. She wanted to make sure Isis, Freya, and Emilio had those same things.

“They’ll have even more, though,” Tori said with a smile.

The trio would have so much love and family, people always looking out for them. It was wonderful. Them growing up together would be wonderful, even as they fought over the toy piano.

She could not help thinking about her own daughter. When Anna told her and Andre she was pregnant so many years ago, she felt a crushing disappointment. She never expected it. Anna had always been a fairly good girl, did what she was supposed to and what was expected of her. She never really asked for anything outrageous, only things her parents could and would provide. She achieved and was rewarded for those actions. They rarely argued or fussed. Their family had been peaceful for the most part. Maybe that was why they were so unprepared to hear she was pregnant and overreacted as they did.

To this day, Anna thought naming Artie in honor of Andre’s beloved classics subject was the thing to save the whole matter. In truth, Tori and Andre had fallen in love with Artie the moment she was born. They had forgiven Anna long before that, but it was a difficult situation and conversation to have for a long time. She thought with Anna she learned not to make snap judgments about a loved one, to be careful with precious relationships, but it would seem only learned it with Anna. With Artie, the lesson would take much longer.

“I will not judge any of you as I did her,” Tori promised the three toddlers, who had moved onto other toys.

She would let her great-grandchildren, Emilio was included there, be who they were and watch them blossom and support them through everything. She had not done that with Artie for far too long. She never had a real problem with Artie. How could she? Artie was always a sweetheart, quick with a smile and a hug for anyone, a savior for anyone who might need help, but she did not know how to handle Artie being a boy for Artie’s entire boyhood.

Gender roles had never really meant anything to her until Artie declared she was a boy. For a long time, Tori felt like it was a decision Artie made based on liking “boy” things. When Artie was little, she could not articulate exactly why she was a boy, but as she grew older, she could and would let her grandmother know it was not a decision. Tori did not believe her, but tried to humor every now and then, thinking Artie would grow out of it. She did not, of course, and it got irksome.

Eventually, one day in frustration, after Tori asked her “how do you know you’re a boy?” she shot back with, “how do you know you’re a girl?” and Tori did not have a response beyond biology. Artie gave her a scathing look and said, “Sometimes, nature makes mistakes. Not everybody’s born with two arms, two legs, or ten fingers, and maybe not everyone’s born male or female with the matching set.” It would have been a lie to say nature did not make mistakes and it was the beginning of the end for Tori. She would come to accept Artie was a boy just as Artie was beginning to accept biologically she was a woman. They were able to meet in the middle and Artie, always the sweetheart, did not hold a grudge.

She would not do that with these babies. No, they would never get into drawn out arguments with her over matters, have to learn to debate at young ages, or feel wrong for being as they were because of something she said. There would be no teddy bears to keep them close, as Artie had collected. No, she would be close to them through actions and activities. Yes, there would be presents, but they would not be bribes, they would not be begging.

“I will simply delight in watching you all grow. I know you will all be amazing. You have no choice. You have excellent parentage,” Tori said to the toddlers. She was in the company of greatness in the making. It was beautiful. “Now, story time!” 

Three little heads all turned to her and she chuckled. She grabbed her storybook off the coffee table, a collection of fairy tales from around the world. She eased herself onto the floor as they waddled over to her.

-8-8-8-8-

Babs Matherson was in the living room with the twins, who were fast asleep in their playpen. She could not bear to have them sleep on the floor, no matter how much Artie insisted it was fine. She had worn the two out by chasing them around the couch, giggling the whole time, until they put themselves to sleep.

She still could hardly believe she and her husband put their lives on hold for almost a full year to be with their great-granddaughters. She did not regret it for a second. Quinn and Artie needed the help and she would never be able to deny Quinn, or the woman who took the best of care of her. She wished they had made this decision when Quinn was born.

It was clear Quinn was the unfavorite long before she was born. Her mother, Vanessa, had not been happy with the unplanned pregnancy that was Quinn. It did not help that Quinn was easily her most difficult pregnancy. She used to say it when Quinn was small, like the difficulty was Quinn’s fault. 

Babs could not understand how a mother could be so callous toward her baby and still could not understand it. It did not help that she had never been a big fan of Vanessa’s in the first place, even though she adored Vanessa’s parents. Sometimes, she felt like they were the best of friends and she could not understand how they raised Vanessa.

Of course, there were plenty of times she could not understand how she and Roger raised Ron. Ron was not much better with Quinn. There were times when she felt like he would have been more interested in her had Vanessa shown Quinn more care, but it did not matter. He should have shown his child love regardless of how his wife felt about her.

Vanessa had only wanted two children and felt like having a boy and a girl was perfect. Quinn disrupted this fictional balance, thus gaining more resentment. Babs glanced at the twins, cuddled up together as they sometimes did when they slept close to each other, and thought about how they were not Artie’s plan. Quinn often expressed how Artie really only wanted one, but would possibly bend for two after basking in the glow of the first one. Instead, she got two at once and there was nothing but love there from before the twins came into being. Plan or not, Artie loved the pair like they were God in the flesh. Quinn could not have picked a better partner to have babies with, to build a life with.

“If only her father had done the same,” Babs grumbled to the air.

Ron asked after Quinn every now and then. In his heart, he missed his little girl, Babs knew, but she wished he would do more than miss her. He had granddaughters now and if he left things the way they were, he would never meet them. He would regret. She knew her son. He would, but he needed the right push to do the right thing and she was not sure what it would take.

She never pressed Quinn to talk to Ron. It was not Quinn’s place to mend the relationship, as she had not been the one to cause the rift. Babs never wanted to make it seem like Quinn was in the wrong. Quinn had enough blame in her life.

She and Roger mentioned the babies to Ron and he asked about them whenever they talked. He asked about the babies more than he asked about Quinn, but over the years, he did inquire. Sometimes, she swore she heard hurt in his voice when he did, but she feared that might just be the mother in her, needing proof her son was not heartless.

“I hope one day you two get to know your other grandpa,” Babs sighed. The twins were not hurting in the grandparent department, even though they only had Anna for a grandmother, but Vega’s father had gladly accepted the role of grandfather. Whenever Mahmoud did something with Emilio, he included the twins. Their parents all seemed intent on making them more like siblings than cousins, which was nice. She just wished Ron was a part of all this love.

Regardless of that, she was confident the twins would have a much happier childhood than their poor mother. Quinn had never been acknowledged, no matter how good her grades were or what contests she won. No one ever encouraged Quinn’s writing talent. Isis and Freya would never know those troubles. She and the other proud great-grandparents would never have to feel like they needed to make sure the twins got attention, as they had with Quinn.

“You two will be brilliant at whatever you try your hands in and even if you’re not, your parents will make you believe you are and they’ll be quite right for it,” Babs said. She would never worry over the twins as she did with Quinn and it allowed for so much joy in her heart. She hoped to see many years of this family.

-8-8-8-8-

Lois sat on the floor, tickling the twins, who giggled widely and tried to escape. Of course, she could not help thinking of Quinn as a toddler. She would do this all the time and poor Quinn would not even try to escape. Quinn clung to her, enduring the torture just for the contact. Her heart always hurt for Quinn and she regretted not being nearer to make sure Quinn got the attention any child needed. The twins would never have that problem, too many aunts and great-grandparents to have that issue.

“You two are going to grow up so terribly spoiled, but hopefully as amazing as your aunts,” Lois said as she let the pair think they escaped. They cheered, as if they had done something, and crawled away.

One of the things she greatly admired about Artie’s family was despite their hardships, every single one of them was incredible. Venus and Aphrodite were about to graduate college with double majors. Tia was off to college soon, scholarships and grants with dreams of being a scientist of some kind. Juno was in a gifted high school and Diana would soon follow in her footsteps. It was hard to believe they came from a family where they considered their eldest sister their father.

“But, if Artie could do that with her sisters, I can’t wait to see what she and Quinn do with their actual children,” Lois said. She dragged the twins back to her, tickling them like mad.

“No!” they both howled and laughed with each move of her fingers. She laughed with them, even though she was not sure how long she would be able to keep this up.

“Oh, yes! Because you two have to know some bad luck since you’re going to grow up super-supported,” she remarked and tickled them even more. Once they realized there was no escape, they turned and tried to run her over, which only made them get tickled more.

She wished her own daughter had been such a wonderful parent as Artie. Oh, Vanessa was wonderful with her two eldest, but with Quinn, she was awful and somehow it did not balance out. Being awful with one child out of three made Vanessa awful and Lois could not understand why Vanessa had been this way with Quinn.

Lois had worried over how detached and withdrawn Vanessa had been when she found out she was pregnant with Quinn. Lois hoped Vanessa just needed time to get used to things not going according to her plans, but she never coped and Lois was not sure where the attitude came from. She had never been so fussy or spoiled, at least not until Ron. Then, she got set in her ways and things needed to go her way or not at all. Quinn had not gone her way.

“It’s her loss, though. Not getting to know you two is also her loss,” Lois said as the girls settled against her, all laughed out.

Vanessa had not shown any interest in getting to know the twins. Whenever Lois or Cliff brought the twins up, Vanessa glanced right over the topic and went on with whatever she was talking about or bringing up her grandsons, like they were the only ones who mattered. It was beyond Lois, who was more than happy to have spent so much time with the twins. Coming to help with them felt like the best idea ever, even if it took her and Cliff away from home for long periods of time. Home was with family and this was part of her family.

“I just wish Vanessa saw things that way. There’s so much love here. I think she would benefit from it,” Lois told the twins, who were now curled up against her.

They were on their way to sleep. She rubbed their backs. Isis made a noise and Freya sucked her thumb, a new habit that drove her daddy crazy. Artie swore the baby would need braces as soon as her teeth came in. Artie was a worrier, as was Quinn. They worried about different things, so they were able to keep each other calm during most things.

She stroked Isis’ head and then Freya’s. “They’re going to be fine and you both are going to be fine, regardless of what your negligent grandmother does or does not do.”

This was Vanessa’s loss, not the twins. Lois was not even sure if Quinn felt the loss of her mother anymore, of her family really. Why should she? They threw her away for finding the perfect love for her. Who needed that type of negativity in her life?

“Quinn doesn’t need anything that might steal this joy. You two are her heart and soul and your daddy’s her light. You guys will have a good life together, be the family Quinn needs and deserves,” Lois said. She wanted to be a part of that and she would never understand why her daughter would pass it up. But, hers was not to understand and she would try not to let it plague her. She had great-grands to enjoy, after all. _Hopefully, one day, you guys will be able to meet your cousins and you’ll all like each other_. That was her one true wish.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn and Artie get some alone time.


	44. Seize the Day

44: Seize the Day

Quinn was exhausted and Artie wanted to give her some time to relax. They had been going at full speed since the twins were born, but added to that Quinn had had to carry them. Then, Quinn was doing writing for herself and editing Artie’s writing. It was a lot.

Artie wanted to do something for her wife and thankfully they had more than enough eager babysitters. They did not have much money for her to do anything too fancy, even with book royalties coming in for both of them. She always knew being an adult was hard, but being an adult with small kids, a mortgage payment, a car note, tons of other bills, and a career was a difficulty setting she had not contemplated. Thankfully, they had tons of support and eager help.

At first, Artie planned to take Quinn to their usual winter getaway at their favorite bed and breakfast, but when she ran the idea by Vega, Vega wanted in. So, now, it was a double-date weekend vacation. Vega opted for a cabin in the woods where they could admire the changing leaves. From the pictures she showed Artie, the cabin seemed large enough for them to have their privacy with two bedrooms on opposite ends of the cabin and a common area where they could hang out for a while and probably talk about their children, as that was what they did for the past year.

“So, are you willing to go?” Artie asked Quinn, who was curled up in bed. She had explained the whole thing to her wife and now needed confirmation.

Quinn sighed as she burrowed deep under the covers. “You know how I feel about being away from Isis and Freya. Besides, we’re in the middle of working on your new book.”

Artie stretched, standing by the light switch to turn the light off. “I also know how you need a chance to just chill out. Come on, it’ll be for the weekend. Friday after work and we’ll miss work Monday. Come on, you’ll like it. We’ll get to veg out with Vega and Yvonne.”

Quinn snorted. “Listen to them having sex.”

With a laugh, Artie shook her head as she turned off the light and then kneeled on the foot of the bed. “No, first off, we’ll be too busy doing that and the rooms are clear across the cabin from each other. It was part of the appeal.”

Quinn turned up her mouth, which was barely visible in the dark with the cover all the way up to her neck. “You don’t think it’ll be weird?”

Artie’s mouth twisted to the side. “No. Why would it? We’ve been on vacation with them many times.” It was never a problem.

“In separate hotel rooms.”

Artie scratched her head. “You’re really worried over hearing them having sex? I promise I will keep you busy enough to not hear anything.” She crawled over to Quinn with a smirk on her face. Quinn stopped her with a hand to her chest.

“I’m kinda tired.”

An amused grin spread across Artie’s face. “You’re always kinda tired, which is why we should do this. You get to go some place and turn completely off. We could just go stare at the trees or the lake. There’s a lake. We can walk in the woods. We could cuddle in a hot tub.” It would be nice.

“We have a tub here.” Her eyes twinkled as she spoke and Artie was able to see it as her eyes adjusted and she was close.

Artie grinned. “But, it doesn’t have jets. We definitely don’t have woods. Come on, you know you wanna go hiking with me. You get a chance to pretend to trip over a rock and grab my arm, squeezing my rather impressive bicep and give me a coy smile.”

Quinn chuckled, coming for from under the covers a little. “That’s some fantasy you worked out there.”

Artie flexed her left arm. “No fantasy here.”

Quinn’s fingers went to Artie’s bicep and lightly stroked the skin. “If we do this, I want that walk in the woods. Maybe I’ll even trip and need to steady myself.”

With another grin, Artie wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh, I can offer milady a hand. And, maybe I’ll get a kiss for my troubles?”

Quinn gasped. “Troubles? Troubles for helping a lady in distress?” She sat up, mouth close to Artie’s. The promise of a kiss hung in the air, but Artie knew better. This was a tease if ever there was a tease.

“Oh, love, no kiss for your fair lady?” Quinn smirked.

“I’m not falling for this one, Princess. Now, are you willing to go or what? Not worried about walking in on Vega and Yvonne? We already agreed to keep all bedroom activities in the bedroom. So, we’re not going to walk in to find Vega between Yvonne’s legs.” She doubted she would ever tell Quinn that she had done that a few times in life. It was never a fun time, so she would like to avoid it whenever possible.

“That is promising.” Quinn sighed, settling against her pillow again. “I would really like to take that walk.”

Artie brought up a hand and caressed Quinn’s cheek. “I would like it as well.” Now, she leaned in for her kiss to seal the deal. Quinn did not disappoint, kissing her back. So, they were going on vacation. Yay.

-8-8-8-8-

The cabin was nice, but the surrounding forest was nicer. Quinn wanted her walk right after they put the luggage down, while the weather was somewhat nice and the sun was still out. She yanked Artie out, not even giving her a chance to look at the bedroom. She just wanted open spaces and fresh air in ways she had not really thought about before right that very moment.

“This place is beautiful,” Quinn said as they strolled along a path through the woods. She held Artie’s hand tight and took in the sounds of the woods. She inhaled and felt nature wrap itself around her. She pulled Artie close, wanting to wrap Artie around her as well.

“I’m more happy with my view.” Artie held her close and kissed her neck. Her warmth held off the slight chill.

Quinn sighed and felt like a weight was off her shoulders. “You were right. This is exactly what I needed.” Well, maybe something a little more. She eased away from Artie and moved up ahead.

“Where are you going?” Artie laughed.

Quinn grinned and jogged up the trail a bit. Artie smiled back and chased after her. Quinn slowed down, waiting for the right moment and then pretended to fall. She collapsed into Artie’s arms, pressed against her strong chest.

“Careful, my love,” Artie whispered.

“Thank you.” Quinn stood up right and delighted in giving Artie a gentle kiss. Artie returned it with the soft affection Quinn was used to. It made Quinn giggle. “Wanna be naughty?”

Artie’s eyebrows shot up and she glanced around. “Here? Really? Who the hell are you and what have you done with my lovely, only somewhat innocent wife?”

Quinn giggled and tugged Artie toward some trees. She had no intention of going too far, but it would be fun to make out among the trees in the autumn air. Artie kissed her as they fell into the brush and that suddenly demanded all of her attention. For some reason, she hungered for Artie’s lips and tongue, like she had been starved of them, even though they often kissed. It had been such a long time since they kissed uninterrupted, though.

Quinn was not sure when or how, but they backed up into a tree. Artie bent down, taking hold of her thighs and lifted her up, right against the tree. She hooked her legs around Artie’s waist and even though the tree was rough against her back, she had no intention of letting go. Their lips never left each other, but Artie’s hands were more personal by the second.

“Baby, wait,” Quinn said, panting for breath.

“What? I thought you wanted to be naughty.” Artie smirked and wiggled her eyebrows again. She kissed along Quinn’s cheek, down to her neck.

“Not _that_ naughty. Some making out, but nothing that will make someone stop and take pictures. I have no desire to be a cheap porn star.” She was not sure what sort of traffic these trails got and the last thing they needed was to go viral as “lesbians having sex in the woods.”

Artie chuckled, but stopped her actions. “I think we’re out of camera range, but I’ll save the real work for when we get back to the cabin. For right now, can you just kiss me?”

Quinn snickered and grabbed Artie’s face, pulling her in for another kiss, reveling in the feel of her lips. Artie did not need coaxing and moaned as their tongues caressed each other. It felt like they kissed for an eternity, Artie holding her up, and grinding against her. Each move, hips and lips, burned through Quinn, going right to one specific area. Quinn pulled away first, hands clutched tight at the nape of Artie’s neck and shoulder. Artie did not even pause, lips on Quinn’s neck once more.

“Baby, we should head back,” Quinn panted.

“You sure?” Artie sucked at her neck.

Quinn hissed and pulled Artie closer using her legs. “Fuck, yes.”

“You like that?” Artie dragged her tongue up to Quinn’s ear and nibbled.

Quinn moaned. “Oh, god!” In a second, she would not care they were in the middle of the woods. She would _need_ an orgasm. “I missed this. I missed you.” She tilted her head, wanting Artie’s mouth on hers. While, yes, they had been able to be affectionate at home, it was not with reckless abandon like now.

“You sure you don’t have doing it in the woods on your bucket list?” Artie asked.

“No. Please, bed. Or at the least walls.” And privacy. Privacy was very good.

“Fuck!” Artie snarled, ripping herself away from Quinn. “I’m carrying you back.” Ever the showoff, she picked Quinn up bridal style, earning a squeal from Quinn, and made her way back the trail.

“Baby, I get it. You have muscles. Awesome.” It was so sexy, but she could not let that go to Artie’s head.

Artie smirked. “Yeah, I know. You’re clutching them right now and I can imagine just how wet it’s making you that I can carry you like this. You’re probably imagining being underneath me right now, scratching my arms as I fuck you slow.”

Quinn groaned. Well, she was now! “You are not allowed to talk dirty to me in public.” If Artie continued, she felt like she would soak right through her underwear and pants.

“Oh, no? You don’t want me to fuck you slow? But, I think you would like it. I’d lean down just enough for you to feel my whole body before I go in deep, speed up, and make you come like never before.”

“I can’t stand you!” Quinn wanted that so badly and they were so far from a bed. Why did she want to go on this stupid walk?

“You love me.” Artie pulled her close, nipping her ear again. “And you love my dick.”

Quinn could feel the blush burn her face, but it was the truth. And it had been such a long time since she felt that raw power of Artie’s that came when she got a chance to suit up. Ever since the birth of the twins, every time they were together, things had to be quick, even at night. All of their intimate moments involved fingers and mouths, which was not bad, and barely lasted ten minutes. But, she knew how much Artie enjoyed using her strap-on and Quinn loved feeling it just as much.

It seemed like forever, but they made it back to the cabin. Vega and Yvonne were nowhere to be found, not that it mattered. Artie managed to get into what Quinn hoped was their room with no problem. When she felt the bed against her back, she knew things were fine.

“Get undressed while I get ready,” Artie said.

Quinn did not need to be told twice, sitting up to wiggle out of her pants. Panties went with those. By the time she got out of her hoodie and shirt, Artie was back, hands eager and lips on her throat. Quinn tittered as she pulled Artie closer. This was fun.

“You’re giggling,” Artie said against her lips.

“I feel…” Quinn was not sure how to put it. “I was just thinking this is fun. I don’t remember the last time we had fun sex.”

Artie paused and gazed at the ceiling, as if it had the answer. “Yeah, me neither. Hell, I don’t even remember the last time I got to savor you. I feel like whenever I get you on my tongue, I gotta make you come that very second. Shit, when this is done, I’m going down on you for the rest of the night.”

Before Quinn could object, as she would like to enjoy Artie at some point, those clever lips were back on hers and wondrous hands were kneading her breasts just right. She grabbed Artie by her broad shoulders, trying to pull her closer. Eventually, she was on her back, hands on Artie’s biceps, as Artie settled in between her legs. She moaned as she felt Artie slid the toy against her, gliding back and forth over her clit.

“Oh, god, baby. Put it in,” Quinn groaned, feeling like she was about come out of her skin. She needed this. They needed this.

Artie followed orders, easing into Quinn with delicious caution. Yes, this was exactly what she needed. Something slow, sweet, tender. She rocked against Artie at the same leisurely pace, kissing Artie’s jaw and caressing the muscles of her arms. Every few seconds her hands drifted to Artie’s breasts and she flicked Artie’s nipples with her thumbs. Artie groaned, deep in her throat, and her hips moved with more intent, bottoming out inside Quinn.

“Yes, baby, just like this,” Quinn said, arching into each slow thrust. This was so perfect.

“Feels good, right?” Artie gave her a soft kiss, pressing their breasts together as she leaned down.

Quinn mewled as every nerve in her body sang a song composed and played by her spouse. “Yes. I missed this so much.” She clutched Artie’s back, enough to leave marks, but neither of them cared.

Artie came in for another kiss and kept up her slow rhythm. Each stroke was incredibly deep, hitting just where she needed. All too soon, she started to feel the delicious burn creep up in her. She cooed and tightened her grip on Artie, who sped up just enough for Quinn to lose herself. Her climax hit her like a soothing wave, bathing her in ecstasy. Closing her eyes, she gave herself over to the gentle tide, moaning in her spouse’s ear. As her mind cleared, she noted Artie’s weight on her and she embraced Artie tight.

“That was so perfect, love,” Quinn said.

“I’m just getting started,” Artie replied, kissing Quinn’s cheek and moving to change positions. With a giggle, Quinn shifted with her.

-8-8-8-8-

It was late at night when Artie and Quinn met up with Vega and Yvonne, plopping down on the couch in the cabin’s living room. She and Vega gave each other a smirk and a fist bump, earning eye rolls from their wives. They ordered pizza and tried to watch a movie, but the wives spent the time texting back and forth with the people watching the children. 

“I can’t believe Mahmoud talked Anna into taking them all to that hands on kiddie science place,” Quinn said.

Artie groaned. “I wanted to take them there.”

Vega scoffed. “And when were you going to get around to that? Lets be happy they finally got to go.”

“Oh, look how cute Emilio is in this outfit, Vega.” Yvonne passed Vega the phone.

Vega frowned. “My son isn’t cute, just like I’m not cute. He’s handsome.”

Artie chuckled. “Funny, so are my girls.” Picking up her phone, she showed them a message from her nana, showing what the twins are up to.

“Did you just assume their gender?” A teasing smirk tugged at Vega’s lip.

Artie sucked her teeth. “My statement, for the moment, is based on private parts. When they can tell me otherwise, we’ll have that discussion.” She was always prepared for that.

“Let’s just watch the movie and show off what our offspring is up to,” Quinn said, patting Artie’s knee.

They did as they were told, as it made sense. The movie was dry, but the pictures made up for it. Everyone seemed like they were happy where they were and like they were having a good time. Artie felt the urge to fist bump Vega again, but knew any smugness on their parts would result in pinches. Instead, they exchanged glances and held their wives tight. This was just the start of their getaway, after all.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn is overwhelmed by the past.


	45. Never Look Back

45: Never Look Back

“Isis, come on, can you work with me here?” Artie begged as she tried to get Isis’ arm into her coat. Isis was absolutely no help in the matter, not that she wanted to be.

“No!” The toddler tried to wiggle away, mussing her already wild brown hair.

Artie grunted as she held on tight, but made sure not to hurt Isis. Isis seemed to have a sixth sense for when they had a doctor’s appointment, even when no one said it. In fact, Artie and Quinn had ten different code words for the doctor to make sure Isis did not know, but somehow she still knew. She was not a fan. She never went easy.

“Come on, we’re going to see Emilio. You wanna see Lo-Lo, right?” Artie asked. The twins found it impossible to pronounce Emilio’s full name, so he was dubbed “Lo-Lo” and they loved him to death.

Isis stopped struggling. “Lo-Lo?” She narrowed her eyes on Artie, suspicious beyond her years. It was not a lie. They were going to see Emilio. He had a doctor’s appointment just as they did.

“Yes, Lo-Lo. So, put your coat on,” Artie said, holding up the article of clothing.

Isis calmed down, but she offered no help in putting on the coat. Artie sighed. Really, how suspicious could a fourteen-month-old baby be? Once Isis was dressed and ready to go, Artie joined Quinn at the front door. She expected to hear all kinds of taunts and teasing about taking so long, but Quinn was distracted by her phone, staring at it as if she were waiting for it to burst into flames.

“You ready?” Artie said.

Quinn blinked and looked up. “Oh, yes.” She adjusted Freya in her arms and opened the door. They were off.

The car ride was uneventful, but Isis went off when they pulled up in front of the doctor’s office. How did a toddler recognize buildings? Sobbing, kicking, and screaming, Isis wanted no part of this trip now. Quinn handled getting Freya out of her car seat and away from Isis, leaving Isis to Artie. Usually, she was good with calming Isis down, but the doctor’s thing was something Isis just was not keen on.

“Isis, baby, I know you hate the doctor,” Artie said.

“No go, Daddy! No!” Isis gripped Artie’s arms for dear life.

Freya, only a few feet away, whimpered. “Daddy.” She twisted in Quinn’s arms, reaching for Artie. “Daddy!”

Artie sighed and looked at her wife. “Take her, please, before she gets started.” One thing about having twins was that one always set the other off, regardless of the emotion involved. This often proved annoying and worrisome. It would get worse when they got older and started daring each other to do things.

Quinn nodded and rushed into the doctor’s office. Artie took Isis out of her car seat, but did not go into the building. Isis bawled, wiggled, and tucked herself into Artie, not sure if she wanted to flee or seek protection. Artie sighed and rubbed Isis’ back. She sat down on the steps with her daughter on her knee. She wiped Isis’ face. Poor kid looked like a tomato with a giant snot bubble.

“Hey, you know this isn’t how a brave goddess acts, right? I know you’re scared of the doctor, but you don’t have to be,” Artie said.

“Gives owies.” Isis scratched at her arm. Neither twin was a fan of shots, nor was their mother, who still looked away, but Freya seemed to forget the doctor gave shots until it was too late to escape. Isis did not forget.

“I know he does, but owies go away and until they do, you know me and your mama are there to hold you and help you through it.”

“But…” Isis frowned. Her vocabulary was very limited, but Artie understood.

“I know, baby. Needles suck, but they make sure you’re not sick and we always get ice cream after.” She was very much in favor of treating the girls after they went to the doctor, especially considering Isis’ dislike of it. She wanted the twins to know they would be rewarded if they soldiered through things.

“Ice cream!” Isis perked up.

“Yes, ice cream with me and Mama and Freya. Okay?” She kissed the side of the toddler’s head.

“And Lo-Lo?” 

“Of course, Lo-Lo, too. And his mamas. Is that good?”

Isis nodded and was fine for the moment. Artie picked her up and went into the doctor’s office. Freya was with Emilio, playing with some light up toy. Isis wasted no time in joining them. Artie thought her wife would be talking with Yvonne and Vega, but she was glued to her phone again. Not talking on it, just staring at it and then she shoved it into her pocket.

“You okay?” Artie asked, sitting next to her wife.

Quinn took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Fine.”

Artie figured Quinn was antsy because the babies had to see the doctor. It was a routine thing, no shots required, but it might still be upsetting to Quinn. To take Quinn’s mind off of the doctor’s visit, Artie reminded them all they had ice cream dates with the kids. It sparked conversation, making plans for things beyond ice cream, and Quinn seemed fine until they made it to get ice cream.

As they all set up the kids in their seats at the table in ice cream shop, Quinn’s attention went back to her phone. Artie arched an eyebrow. Whatever was bothering Quinn had to do with the phone. Her face pinched in as she stared at the screen for long seconds and then shoved it back into her pocket. Artie would talk about it later with her. For now, the children had been very brave for their doctor’s visit and they deserved a treat as well as attention.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn was off all day and it had not changed when their little family had dinner together. She had stared at her phone throughout the day, even when they took the children to the park, and Artie was not sure what to make of it. Quinn did not want to talk about, refused to acknowledge she had a problem with her phone even. Had she gotten bad news? She had not said anything about it, but she had not been very chatty today.

“I can bathe the twins if you want,” Artie said as she cleared the table of their dinner dishes. The twins were covered in sweet potatoes and Quinn wiped their faces off for them.

Quinn sighed and nodded. Oh, something was very off. Artie would get to the bottom of it right after she was done with the twins. Once they were bathed and in fresh clothes, Artie went right to the couch, where Quinn was curled up with her phone. Artie put the babies down to let them play together and grabbed her wife into her arms.

“What’s going on with you?” Artie asked and got a noise in response. “Something’s up, love. You have to tell me. You know that. Someone call you earlier and it mess you all up?”

Quinn gave her a long sigh with dropped shoulders. “Actually, this someone has called me several times and also texted.” She held her phone up and pouted.

Artie blinked when she saw. “Your dad?” What the hell?

“He’s just asking about the girls. I haven’t answered the calls, but the texts…” Quinn shook her head. “He asks about them in the texts. He wants pictures and to talk.”

Artie was not sure how she felt about that. After spending so much time with Ron’s parents, she felt like he was not the asshole he came across as when she encountered him, but he was still an asshole. He had not been kind to her or to Quinn. Why should he be kind or even interested in their children? Even if he was kind when they were babies, what happened when got older, developed more, and discovered things about themselves? He could not be trusted.

“I know Grandma and Papa send him pictures and talk to him about the girls, but why is he bothering me with it now?” Quinn asked.

“Did you give him your number?” Artie could only guess that was how Ron got it.

Quinn’s entire demeanor dropped. “No, but I know my grandparents did in case he ever got the nerve to contact me. I don’t think this is what they had in mind.” 

“They meant well.”

“I know.”

Artie shook her head and kissed the side of Quinn’s head. The twins noticed and grabbed onto their legs to pull themselves up. “Kisses!” the toddlers cheered. 

Artie laughed and leaned down to pick them up. “Give Mommy all the kisses!” The twins wasted showering their mother with kisses. Eventually, Quinn burst out laughing and the twins went about their business, touching stuff they should not be touching. Artie would give them a few minutes before she barked at them.

“Now, back to this. You texted your father or was it your grandparents?” Artie asked as Quinn tucked in close to her again. 

Quinn sighed. “You know I would never text him, but my grandparents asked if it’s okay for him to have my number. I didn’t care. I didn’t think it mattered, just like I didn’t think it mattered if they told him about Isis and Freya. They want him to know about the twins, but why would he care about our kids? He’s never contacted me directly before. And now, there’s all this. I don’t get it. Why now?”

It was a good question. “No explanation in the texts?”

With a sigh, Quinn shook her head. “Not much. He said he missed me and then he wanted to maybe see the girls. Then, he just keeps asking me to pick up the phone. Why should I pick up the phone? So, he can make me feel worse about having your babies? Imagine what he would say if he knew the girls call you ‘daddy’ and I’m fine with that.”

Artie did not want to imagine it. The twins calling her “daddy” still gave Quinn’s grandparents pause and they were fine with her. She did not want to think about how Ron would react to it. She did not want to think about what he might put into her daughters’ heads about her gender identity, like her own grandmother had done to her.

“What do you want to do?” Artie asked.

“I don’t know. I just… I feel so overwhelmed. We went from nothing to almost ten calls today. It’s too much and just out of the blue.”

Artie nodded and grabbed the phone. She sent her own text message to Ron: _Sir, this is Artie, Quinn’s spouse. I understand your parents gave you her number should you ever decide to contact her. Going from nothing in years to multiple calls in a day is too much for the child you tossed away on Christmas day for being with me. If you are serious about any of this, if you actually want to connect with her, you might want to start small_.

She showed Quinn the message. Quinn nodded and she sent it. Then she held it for the response, so Quinn would not have to deal with anything more from him. Quinn settled against her and let her eyes drifted to their children, who were banging on the coffee table. Artie kissed the top of her head.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You know I’ll support your decision,” Artie said.

Quinn only nodded, but she did not say anything else about it. She left her phone with Artie, watched their daughters play, and turned on a movie. The matter seemed to be closed for now.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: The twins watch the twins.


	46. All is Well

46: All is Well

“Come on, you can trust us!” Venus said, following Artie from her kitchen to the living room. Aphrodite was at her back at well. They had their hands clasped together, grinning, as if that would make her agree with them.

“I’m not saying I don’t trust you,” Artie replied.

“We’ve watched babies before and we were way younger,” Aphrodite said, popping up at Artie’s side.

“Never completely alone like you want to,” Artie replied. The twins had come to her earlier, saying she needed to take Quinn out on a date. They seemed quite concerned with her marriage all of a sudden, but she knew they really wanted her living room for the night. She had the big television and snacks and they had some big music event they really wanted to see. They taught this trick to Tia, who used it for soccer games.

“We can handle it,” Venus said, moving to stand in front of Artie.

“On your own?” Artie was skeptical. Yes, the twins used to watch their sisters, but only for short periods of time, a couple of hours. Then, their grandmother always showed up or she showed up or someone showed up. They wanted roughly the whole night to themselves.

“We can handle it. We’re adults now.” Aphrodite pointed between them.

Artie craned an eyebrow. “Really? So, you weren’t just bugging me about Christmas presents yesterday and if the ‘no shaking’ rule still existed?”

“Everyone wants Christmas presents!” Venus said.

“And everyone wants to shake the box. Quinn said you do it, too.” Aphrodite had the nerve to look smug with her arms folded across her chest.

“That’s irrelevant,” Artie replied. Of course she shook the boxes. She wanted to guess what the present was.

“Look, can you honestly say you don’t want to take Quinn on a date? After all, when was the last time you two went on a date?” Aphrodite asked.

Artie frowned. “We went on a little vacation a couple of months ago.” It seemed like it just happened, but it also seemed like so long ago. A date probably was a good idea, but she was not sure if the twins were ready for a whole night with the smaller twins.

“Dude.” Both twins gave her a stern look.

“You do know for a marriage to make it, it’s advised for you to continue going on dates,” Aphrodite said. Venus backed her up with a head nod.

“Is that your expert opinion?” Artie asked, a laugh in her voice.

“I don’t need to be an expert. I’ve read up on it and Vega likes to point it out from time to time,” Aphrodite answered.

Artie wanted to snap at them, but they were right. She had not dated her wife in far too long. She did not think it was hurting their relationship, but it would not hurt to go on a date either. Beyond that point, the twins also had a point that they watched children before and they were adults. She did not want to face it, but they were adults. She sighed, shoulders sagging.

“Who gave you permission to grow up?” Artie asked.

“Curse from God.” Venus grinned and shrugged.

“It really is. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with you graduating and getting married and all of those things,” Artie said.

“Hey, you lived through us going to the prom. I think you got this.” Aphrodite slapped her on the back.

Artie blew out a breath. This was not getting easier and now she had another set of twins to live through this same thing. She remembered how she had almost passed out when Venus had gone to a junior high school prom. She did not have to deal with that with Tia or Juno. Tia, mostly because she did not seem interested in dating at all, and Juno because she had thought school dances were stupid at the time. How would Isis and Freya be when they were in junior high? Would boys catch their interest? Girls? Artie hoped they veered more to asexual, like Tia seemed, if only to save her sanity.

“You’re gonna let us do this,” Venus said in a sing-song voice.

Artie frowned. “Well, not if you keep acting like that.”

They stood at attention. “We got this.” Venus pointed between herself and her clone. Aphrodite saluted.

Artie sighed. “I’ll let you two have the TV and watch the twins. But, only because I know there’s so many people on call if something goes wrong.”

“Oh, ye of little faith! We got this!” Aphrodite turned to give Venus a high-five. Artie sighed, but she would let them prove themselves.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn was not surprised by the date. She was more surprised by the trust Artie had in Venus and Aphrodite. She had faith in them, but Artie tended to always view her sisters as the little kids she looked after and forgot things they were capable of quite often. She also was not surprised by the long goodbye for the twins, the toddler twins.

“You be good for your aunties, okay?” Artie said as she held Isis and Freya in her arms, going back and forth kissing their cheeks. She then brought them over to Quinn, so they could exchange farewells and kisses, too. 

“Okay,” Isis and Freya said as they hugged Quinn around the neck.

“Don’t let them wreck the place, okay?” Quinn teased Aphrodite and Venus with a wink as she rubbed the top of her babies’ heads.

“Bye, Mommy!” There were a few more cheek kisses between Quinn and her children.

Quinn turned her attention to the adult twins. “Don’t let them watch too much of the tablet, okay?” She doubted the twins would even let the babies near the tablet or phones, but just in case. All the Brenners preferred to read to any child who seemed bored, which she knew they inherited from Tori.

“We got this,” Aphrodite said, holding up her hand.

“No problem,” Venus added with a nod. 

“Mommy, mommy, mommy!” Isis reached for Quinn. “Going!”

Quinn rubbed Isis’ head, pushing her unruly brown hair back. “Me and Daddy are going. You’re staying here with your aunties.” 

Freya turned to Artie. “Daddy, go?”

“No, you’re staying with aunties.” Artie motioned to Aphrodite and Venus, who grinned and held out their arms for the babies.

Freya gave Artie her “serious” face, which she tended to reserve for Artie. “Daddy. Go.” She tapped Artie and then tapped herself.

Artie snickered. “No, kiddo. It’s just me and Mommy going out. You and Isis are staying with aunties.” The little twins seemed confused, but accepted this again. Well, for the moment anyway. 

“I love that you guys get that they’re asking to go with you and not telling you to go,” Aphrodite said.

Quinn shrugged. “We’ve got a cheat sheet since we deal with them all day.”

“Of course,” Venus agreed.

There were more goodbyes and the babies wondering several times why they were not going with their parents, but eventually Quinn and Artie were able to get out of the house. They were dressed for their night out. While Artie was fairly cryptic about things, Quinn suspected they would be out until the morning… if they could stay up that long. Having children had done nothing for Artie’s ability to stay up late and had taken Quinn’s ability to even think about all-nighters of any kind.

“So, are you going to tell me where we’re going or do I have to guess?” Quinn asked.

Artie glanced at her. “Hmm… you know what, I’ll tell you. We’re going to go see _Something Rotten_ and then I’ve got dinner reservations for us at a familiar restaurant and a carriage ride.”

Quinn clapped before she could stop herself. It was always good to see a show and she wanted to see _Something Rotten_ for a while. The restaurant and carriage ride were favorites of Artie’s, a call back to their first real date. Artie liked doing it whenever they had not been on a date for a while.

“Is there a hotel room involved in this as well?” Quinn smirked.

“Maybe. The goddesses’ concert or whatever it is on until two, I do believe.”

“And you promised we’d be gone for that long? I’m impressed.” And a little worried. Could the twins handle the babies all night?

“You told me they could handle it.”

“I didn’t know it was for all night.” That was eight hours, a job. She was confident in Venus and Aphrodite’s ability, but the confidence wobbled just a bit. She would not show that, though. Artie might actually turn the car around if she thought she made the wrong decision. She did not even want to think about how that would affect the older twins, or Artie.

Artie nodded. “You change your mind?”

“No, no, no. Let’s have our night out. Isis and Freya will fall asleep in a couple of hours for the night and the twins can enjoy their concert. It’s fine.”

Artie nodded again and did not bring it up after that. Quinn was glad for it. They made it to the show just in time and it was amazing and funny and they both enjoyed it so much. They got several texts during the show, mostly pictures of what the twins were doing with the twins. They were cute and everyone looked like they were having fun. As the show went on, though, they checked their phones less and less.

They talked about the show on the way to dinner and Quinn went through the pictures the twins sent. There were a few of the twins reading to the babies. There was a video of the babies “beating up” Aphrodite. Pictures of them trying to feed the twins were too much and Artie laughed through each one. 

“They look like they’re having fun,” Quinn said.

Artie nodded. “Yeah. I’m happy for them, even though I’m almost sure Isis and Freya were wearing more food than they’ve ever eaten.” 

Quinn chuckled. “I don’t know how they managed that. Isis and Freya practically feed themselves at this point.”

“Did we tell them that?” Artie scratched her chin and grinned. Quinn laughed.

Once they ordered, Artie and Quinn put away their phones. They went back to discussing the play through the meal. Dinner was amazing as it always was and the carriage ride was romantic. She cuddled into Artie the whole time.

“I love whenever we do this,” Quinn said. 

“I know.” Artie kissed her cheek. “I guess the twins were okay with the mini-twins.” There was a text with a picture of their babies asleep. She showed it to Quinn.

“See, you worried for nothing.” Quinn kissed the end of Artie’s nose. Of course, she had worried a little, too. It was nice to see it was for no reason.

“It’s past midnight. Want to just go home?” Artie asked as the ride came to an end. It would take almost an hour to get home.

“Yes, please.” It would be best to just home. They would not have to wake up ridiculous early in the morning to leave a hotel room and return home. They did not need to interrupt the older twins or their show. “We can go in and just go to bed. We don’t even have to say hi to them if they seem really into what they’re doing.”

“True.”

They went home and came into the biggest surprise of them all. Aphrodite and Venus were asleep on opposite ends of the couch. Aphrodite clutched the baby monitor in one hand. Venus had an empty bottle in her hand. The concert was watching them. Artie smiled.

“I hope they recorded it,” Artie said.

Quinn smiled. “Well, at least you know they can handle it. Kinda.”

Artie nodded and they went to get blankets for the twins. Then, they made their way upstairs to the girls’ room. They were laid out in their cribs, as expected, looking no worse for wear. In fact, Freya looked like she was smiling in her sleep. They both leaned down and kissed both babies before retiring to their bedroom. Soon, music echoed through the quiet house.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: more from Quinn’s dad.


	47. Let It Go

47: Let It Go

“I can’t believe we’re going to do Christmas here,” Artie said, putting up the tree. They were late, but it was more because they expected to do Christmas with Anna rather than at home.

“You agreed to this,” Quinn replied, sitting at the counter in the kitchen. She was trying to decide on a menu, going through different recipes on her tablet. The idea of them hosting Christmas came up when Diana rightly pointed out their house was bigger than Anna’s and closer to several people who would be attending. There were agreements and there felt like a subtle shift in their entire world. “Does it feel like this is going to be our responsibility from now on?”

“I do get that feeling.”

“Does it bother you?”

“Does it bother _you_?”

Quinn thought on it. It was a little daunting, now in charge of a major family gathering, but she looked forward to it. It was like the torch had been passed and she was honored to be trusted with this. “I think I’m actually happy with this. A little nervous, but happy. We’re the next generation and it’s like the old guard is trusting us with the future now.”

Artie chuckled. “I didn’t think about it that way, but that does sound nice. I’m not looking forward to getting a big tree every year, though.”

“I told you get a fake one.” Beyond the fact that the real one was heavy, the real one also shed. She would leave Artie to clean up after it. Never mind the fact that they would have to buy a new one next year where as a fake one could be stored and used over and over again.

“Next year, definitely. I just wanted our first time hosting to be…” Quinn could not see Artie, but she knew her spouse shrugged from the brief silence. “I dunno. I wanna say special, but that doesn’t seem right. So, yeah, I dunno.”

Quinn understood, which was why she was looking up recipes and trying to plan out their dinner rather than going with their usual fare. There was something big about this that she could not put into words, but she could feel it in her soul. It did not need to be perfect, but special would be nice, even though special did not cover it.

Her attention was drawn from planning dinner to her phone. She thought it might be Yvonne, who volunteered to help by offering every hour on the hour. She was in for a shock. It was her father, texting to find out if he could call her. She had taken to ignoring both, but she was struck by a sudden emotion she hated to think was brought on by the holiday season. This was the time for family and he was her family.

 _No, he threw you away. He hadn’t bothered to contact you until he found out you had kids and that’s probably because Grandma and Papa pressured him into it_. Well, she assumed her grandparents pressured her father into it, but she had not asked them. She was not sure how to approach them about the subject of their son and if he was safe and serious. _Maybe I should talk to them_.

She knew her grandparents would tell her the truth and offer her the best advice rather than try to push her to speak with her father. It seemed like he was truly interested in the twins since he had not given up. He claimed to want to talk to her about some things that he believed were inappropriate for text message and texts would not do it justice, which made her think he might want to apologize. But, did she want this type of aggravation in her life? She remembered how stressed she was growing up because of her parents. She did not want that for the twins.

“You okay over there?” Artie called.

Quinn sighed and dropped her phone. “My dad texted me.” She rubbed her temples.

Artie grunted. “What does he want now?”

“He wants to know if it’s okay to call me. I think I want to talk to Grandma and Papa about him, find out what they’ve really been telling him and if he’s told them anything. It seems like a hassle for him to go out of his way to harass me now, right?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

Quinn sighed again and felt her stomach twist. Yes, her father could be malicious when he felt like it and maybe something went so wrong in his life recently that he wanted to ruin hers. She would not, could not put that past him.

“Talking to them might be the best course of action.” A couple of seconds ticked by and then Artie was next to her, arms around her waist. “Do you miss him?”

Quinn scoffed. “No. That’s the thing. I never had him to miss him. I never really had parents to miss. I had parents I could envy, as I watched them with my brother and sister, but I never really got a chance to miss them. I was born the odd man out and I could feel it so early on I was surprised most kids aren’t treated that way when they have older siblings. While they never hit me, it was still abusive. A passive abuse.”

Artie inhaled her scent and gave her a soft kiss behind her ear. “Neglect is abuse.”

Reaching up, Quinn caressed Artie’s cheek. “I don’t want Isis and Freya to go through this.”

“They don’t have to. First off, we’re their parents and we both know we’re not going to be ignoring them. You can ignore your father just as he ignored you. He doesn’t get to get attention just because he suddenly wants it.”

Quinn nodded, as that made a lot of sense. Still, she wanted to talk this over with her grandparents. What if he was serious? She tried to shake away the thoughts. She had bigger things to worry about, like how in the world was she going to get a huge meal done by herself? She might have to take Yvonne up on that offer to help.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn pulled Babs and Roger away as soon as they stepped through the door. They were there to watch the twins while she and Artie did some Christmas shopping. The shopping would cost her with Artie, who still hated it even when it involved gifts or food, but she wanted the company and it was for the Christmas gathering.

“I just want you to know I really need to talk to you when we come back, okay?” Quinn said.

“About?” Babs asked, her voice quivering with concern.

Quinn’s shoulders dropped. She was embarrassed to even say this aloud. “My father.”

Roger put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle rub. “Is everything all right?”

“He just… he keeps calling,” she said with a sigh.

Roger nodded. “We’ll talk about it when you come back then and we’ll get him to stop if it’s bothering you.”

Quinn was glad her grandparents did not shy away from the topic and that fortified her. It helped keep her focus when she and Artie shopped, even as Artie moaned, groaned, and complained as loudly and as often as she could.

“Why do I even take you places?” Quinn asked as they moved through the mall.

“Exactly my point!” Artie threw her hands up.

Quinn shook her head. Any other time, she would think her spouse was trying to take her mind off of her troubles, but she knew better. Still, Artie being a big baby about shopping helped her, even if she did not mean to. But, her mind drifted as soon as they were on the way home. What would her grandparents tell her? What was the right thing to do?

She and her grandparents retreated to her office while Artie handled the twins, who were “helping” her unpack. The amount of giggling she heard before she made it upstairs let her know they would be “unpacking” for a while. Quinn sighed and leaned against her desk. Her grandparents stared at her, waiting.

“Okay, so, what’s the deal with Dad? He keeps asking that I call him. What does he want? Just to chew me out for marrying Artie and having her babies?” Quinn asked.

Her grandparents looked at each other and her grandfather spoke. “No, we actually think he regrets what happened and is now scared he won’t get to know his granddaughters.”

Quinn folded her arms across her chest. “He already has grandchildren.”

“Well, yes, but not yours,” Roger replied.

“What makes mine so special? You both know he ignored me my entire life. Why is he so interested now?” Quinn asked.

“We think he misses you and he doesn’t know how to deal with it. He asks about you whenever we talk to him,” Babs said.

Quinn shook her head. “He what?” How the hell could he miss her? “He never even knew me, so how could he miss me?”

“He does. We’re never going to excuse his behavior, kid. You know that. He treated you very wrong,” Roger replied. “But, I think he realized all he missed out on not too long after he kicked you out and he hasn’t figured out how to handle how wrong he was about you.”

Quinn inhaled sharply through her nose and rubbed her face. “They packed my room up before I was even gone two weeks.” It was like they were waiting for her to be gone, which was probably true. “He always told me my room would be his office again as soon as I graduated college. I wasn’t even welcomed back then, even though RJ and Veronica still lived at home.” What the hell was that about? How could they tell her after school, it was over and she was out with her older siblings still just living in the house? She could feel her eyes getting wet.

“I understand that.” Roger reached out and rubbed her shoulder. “We don’t think he understood what that really meant until it happened, though. As terrible as it sounds, I don’t think he realized you were a child, _his_ child, until it was too late. Now, he’s hoping it’s not too late.”

The tears fell. “Is it too late?” Her voice cracked. Did she want it to be too late? She wanted to be sick of him, over him, but she was allowing this crap to get to her.

Babs pulled her into a hug. “That’s up to you. The best we can do is tell you he seems sincere when he tells us he misses you. He’s always asking for pictures of the twins. He wants to know what you’re doing and how’s Artie taking care of you. He even says ‘Artie.’ No names, no mocking, nothing. He’s been bugging us about your next book. He bought the new one you wrote with Artie, but he’s dying for another one of your crime books. He doesn’t seem to get it’s hard to write when you have babies, even if you have more than enough people willing to watch them.”

Quinn snickered, but she did not feel any less jumbled inside. She didn’t think she wanted a relationship with him, but with the way she felt, she thought her mind might think otherwise. Still, she thanked her grandparents and went about her business. Eventually, she decided to talk to Artie after they put the twins down for bed for the night.

“They seem to think he means well. What do you think I should do?” Quinn asked, putting on lotion for the night.

Artie sighed as she collapsed onto their bed. “I think since it’s bothering you so much, maybe call him.”

Quinn bristled, stopping her movement. “You think I should call him?”

“You’re agonizing over this now. Call him, listen to him, and then tell him to fuck off if necessary. If not that, then talk to him. If only to give yourself peace of mind. You know I hate seeing you all twisted up like this.” Artie grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to the bed, holding her close.

“I’m scared.” Quinn tucked her head under Artie’s chin. She felt like the world could not touch her so close to Artie, but she was still afraid.

“That you’ll forgive him,” Artie said. It was not a question. She knew perfectly well the things that haunted Quinn, which was why she could not ask for a better spouse if she could make a list and just feed it into a machine.

“Could you imagine? Worse yet, I forgive him and then he hurts the girls,” Quinn said. She would destroy him if he hurt their children.

“That’s a valid fear, but you know I’ll be there the whole time, being as objective as I can be about the situation. If it looks fishy to me, you know I’ll say something. I’m not going to let him hurt any of my girls.”

Quinn grinned. She knew that was the truth. “Did you just assume Isis’ and Freya’s gender?”

Artie laughed. “That’s terrible from me, isn’t it?”

“Oh, you are an awful, awful father for that. Perhaps the worst.” Quinn nipped at Artie’s chin as they both chuckled.

“How do you stay married to me?”

“One of life’s greatest mysteries.” It was probably the easiest thing she had ever done in her life. Sitting up, she decided to let Artie know that. “All jokes aside, being with you will never fail to be the best decision of my life.”

Artie smiled, her eyes shimmering with warmth. “The feeling is very much mutual.”

Quinn decided she would talk to her father, but not now. Not with Christmas looming and a family gathering to plan. After the holidays, he could have some of her attention. Making the decision made things easier, telling him her decision through text was even better. She could breathe easy again.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Quinn deals with her father.


	48. Expect the Unexpected

48: Expect the Unexpected

Quinn did not get back to her father until after the holidays. She did not want him to spoil it. But, he texted her “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year,” which was nice. He did not pressure her and then one day when she was curled up with Artie on the couch, she thought it was time.

“I’m going to call my dad,” Quinn announced. They were home alone, the twins out with Emilio and his mothers at some puppet show. Vega would undoubtedly return full of complaints.

“Wow, I didn’t think the movie was that horrible,” Artie said with a snicker.

With a groan, Quinn rolled her eyes. “Are you proud of yourself for that joke?”

“I try. Gotta make sure I’m good enough to do dad jokes as soon as the twins get what I’m talking about.” Artie grinned.

Quinn sucked her teeth, but did not move from her space against Artie. Artie was trying to make light of the situation, so she would not get nervous. She was not nervous. She was more tired than anything else. She wanted to get this out of the way, especially while she had Artie next to herself. Picking up her phone from the coffee table, she took a deep breath.

“Don’t think too much on it, love. He can’t get you through the phone,” Artie pointed out, rubbing Quinn’s hip.

Quinn could not call her a liar on that, so she hit the number in the text thread with her father. It barely rang and Quinn’s heart was in her throat. She did not expect him to answer so quickly.

“Hello, Quinn. I didn’t think you’d actually call,” he said, his voice oddly low.

“I said I would,” she replied, unsure of what else to say. Her stomach turned and she tucked herself close to Artie for comfort. Maybe this was a mistake.

“Well, yes, but I thought you might have said that to get me to leave you alone. I’m glad that wasn’t the case.”

 _That probably would’ve been a better idea_. Quinn sighed. “Yeah. I didn’t even think of that.” Maybe she should be proud she was not like that, but it felt stupid. “So, you wanted to talk to me. You can talk.”

“I’ve wanted to talk to you for so long and I feel like there’s so much to say and I don’t know how to say it.”

Quinn rolled her eyes. “Then maybe you don’t really want to talk.”

“Oh, no. I definitely want to talk. It just… it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things to apologize. How do I apologize for everything?”

“Um… saying I’m sorry would be a very good start.” Duh.

“Well, obviously. I am very sorry, but that can’t be enough. I mean, throwing you out on Christmas alone was terrible. But, all the stuff before that. I never… I never realized how precious you actually are. I don’t know how I missed it, but I get it now. You can’t just throw a child away.”

Duh. “You seemed to do it pretty easily not too long ago.” And, maybe she was okay with being thrown away. She did not think her family was that great, except for her grandparents and she still had them. _So, did you really just want an apology from him? Maybe._

“Again, I didn’t know how precious you were. I spent a lifetime ignoring you. It was terrible. I didn’t understand. But, then you weren’t around and…” There was a long pause. “I don’t know how to explain it. I’d walk to your room and just stare in it. I never bothered when you were there, but for some reason, when you were gone, I’d do it at least once a day. There’s a shadow of you around me now. It makes you everywhere and nowhere. It makes me want to touch you and talk to you and I can’t because it’s just a shadow.”

She scoffed. “You don’t even know anything about me. You guys didn’t even take a week to pack up my room. You haven’t spoken to me since beyond your harassing texts and calls. If I didn’t have grandparents, I wouldn’t have made it through college.”

Artie growled and gave her a squeeze as if to say she would have paid for Quinn’s education. Quinn glanced at her and rolled her eyes. Artie was a provider definitely, but there was no way she would have been able to support her family and help Quinn pay for school.

“If not for my grandparents, if not for the people who love me, who knows what would have happened to me,” Quinn said. It was a scary thought that she thankfully never had to find out about, but her parents would not have cared.

“I know. I know. It’s a horrible thing for a father to realize his child is worth something after kicking her out. I can never make up for that. Believe me, I understand what an ass I was, or am, however you look at it. My parents never fail to lecture me over it. And I look at your brother, who’s separated from his kids because of the divorce and how he’s trying to act like it doesn’t bother him by not seeing them when he gets the chance…”

Quinn’s face scrunched up. Her brother was divorced? He lost his kids and he did not care? Well, he was doing as he was taught then, was he not?

“Oh, so is this just a cry out for other grandkids because you don’t get to see RJ’s anymore?” Quinn asked. Her babies were not playing second fiddle to his loss. Artie frowned at the question. She scratched Artie’s belly a little to let her know she had this and Artie could relax.

He made a noise. “What? No. I actually get to see his kids often. He just doesn’t bother to make the effort. It bothered me. His kids are right there. But, it was his behavior that helped my brain realize what an ass I was. I was worse. You lived in the fucking house. You couldn’t be closer and I let you slip through my fingers. I missed every milestone in your life. Every single one. It was devastating to realize. I missed everything. I couldn’t even draw on memories as I missed you. I literally missed you. And then, it hit me how special you were because I missed everything, hell, we missed everything, and you still succeeded. Incredible doesn’t even scratch the surface and I just want to see some of what you have left now.”

Quinn did not feel any better getting his recognition. She did not feel angered by it either, which she assumed she would. She did not feel any type of way over it. She thought her father commenting on her life would do something do to her, move something in her, but she would probably feel more emotion if a stranger said something about her life at this point.

“You know what, Ron,” she said. It was the first time she referred to him by name. It was so shocking, Artie’s eyes popped. Before this moment, he was “my father” or “my dad.” Now, he might as well be some guy and she would address him as such. “You did miss out. That’s on you. I don’t want to see you or have you experience anything in my life with me. I don’t need it.”

“Understood.”

“But, if you want to see my daughters and maybe get to know them, I’ll have to discuss that with my spouse. As for knowing me, you can be an acquaintance, if that. You can know what’s going on now to a degree, but I don’t need a dad. I haven’t had one really and don’t need to start now.” She had been supplied the basics throughout her life, enough for her to stay alive and as well-adjusted as someone ignored in a household for eighteen years could be.

Artie smiled at her and gave her a squeeze. She smiled back while Ron made a noise. She did not know what it meant.

“I suppose that’s fair,” he replied.

Quinn gave her spouse a wide-eyed look. She suspected her face looked very much like Artie’s. He accepted that way too easily. Was it because he was genuine? She was skeptical. 

“Is that all?” she asked.

“Of course that’s not all. I want to talk to you as much as I can. I’m still reading your books. Both your mysteries and the ones you wrote with your… spouse,” he said.

“Wow,” Quinn said. She expected him to take a dig at Artie. “You actually read Artie’s books?” Her grandparents had to tell him she was Artie’s ghostwriter, not that Artie ever took credit for the formal writing in her work unless it was an essay or an article, which she published often enough. Artie was fine with writing for the academic world, but not so much with trying to reach out to everyday people. She was getting better with practice, so now they called Quinn her “editor,” as that was mostly what she did on the third book Artie wrote.

“You write them.”

“Only the first two. Now my writing is worthwhile.” Quinn rolled her eyes. For almost twenty years no one she shared a house with cared before.

“Better late than never?”

She scoffed. It was not the worst answer, but not the best either. There probably was no “best” answer. At this point, it boiled down to the idea that her grandparents trusted him. She did not want to talk about her time with him or what he thought of her.

“I guess. What are your plans for the twins?” Quinn asked, as that was the important thing. If he was going to see her daughters, she needed to know his intentions. The way Artie sat up, she needed to know as well.

“Well, I do want to get to know them. I’ve missed a lot of milestones with them. I’d like to know them and not miss so many more.”

Quinn glanced at Artie. Artie’s face twitched and then she mouthed, “we’ll see.” Quinn nodded.

“How about one day over the weekend we meet at _Bounce_ _Castle_?” It was sort of like an indoor park and arcade. The Three Musketeers loved it there, even though they were too small for most things. Quinn figured they could see how things went and work from there. If nothing else, the twins would enjoy the outing, as they loved being able to bounce around in the different spaces and to climb on things.

Artie shot her a thumb’s up and Ron agreed. The call was ended at that point. With a sigh, she slid the phone onto the coffee table. Artie kissed the top of her head.

“The kids love _Bounce_ _Castle_. We’ll have fun and we can ignore or ditch him if necessary,” Artie said.

“Exactly.” She relaxed since Artie approved of the plan. “He’s not going to have a big part in their lives, even if he is sincere. I can’t risk him hurting them.” She did not want to see what happened if he decided he got bored with twins or they were not worth his time. She would like things to be if he decided to vanish one day, the twins would hardly notice.

“Agreed.”

“I want them to grow up knowing only love and respect from family.”

“You’re not saying something I don’t agree with.” Artie kissed the top of her head again. “Our babies have been loved, cared for, and respected since before they came out of your womb. That’s not going to stop. If he can’t do those things, he’s out of their lives. That simple.”

“Yeah, that simple.” Quinn felt like she had the strength to make that so. She would not let that man hurt their children as he hurt her. “Thank you for being such a good father, baby.”

Artie held her tight. “You make it easy, raising children with you.”

“You have that wrong. It’s easy with you.” Quinn moved enough to kiss Artie on the lips. Artie made her strong and she would be stronger still for their babies. She would move past what Ron did to her if he could benefit the twins. If he could not, then she would remove him from their lives. It was that simple.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the end.


	49. This is Life

49: This is Life

Summer was in full swing. They decided to have the whole family over for a barbecue. Artie worked the grill while Quinn and Yvonne prepared the food inside. Everyone hung out in the backyard, socializing and enjoying each other. The babies, who were quite content to run around, cling to people every now and then, or play in the playhouse in the corner of the backyard. It was for all intents and purposes a regular family gathering with one exception.

“I can’t believe you let that jackass come here,” Vega grumbled from her spot right next to Artie. She was there to make sure Artie was “doing it right,” as far as cooking the food went, or so she said anyway. Artie did not even try to control her eye roll at the time.

Artie shrugged. “He’s good with the twins.” It was his only saving grace, but he was so amazing with Isis and Freya. They saw him about twice a month. Each time, he made sure he had gifts for them, took them places they would enjoy (with their parents there of course), and encouraged them to try new things. He never once stepped out of line and he respected the fact that Quinn did not want to talk to him beyond the twins.

Vega scoffed. “He wouldn’t have met them to even find that out if it were me.”

“So, you wouldn’t have supported Yvonne’s decision?” Artie smirked and arched an eyebrow. They both knew the answer to that.

Vega sucked her teeth. “You’re an ass. I hope my dad is laying into him.”

Artie glanced over by the fence to see Mahmoud with Ron. Ron had been around since the quiet day toward the end of January where he first met Isis and Freya at _Bounce_ _Castle_. He was shy, tentative at first, with the twins and their parents. He was still that way with Quinn and Artie, but he was better with the twins. She would not say he was granddad level like Mahmoud, but he was better than she expected. He had not offended anyone, on purpose yet, and the twins were happy to see him when he popped up. Although, they seemed to think he was an uncle or something.

Isis and Freya referred to Ron as “Unc Ron.” No one bothered to correct them, not even Ron. Artie was not sure how she felt about it. Uncle seemed temporary to her. Her sisters used to refer to their mother’s boyfriends as “uncles.” Why did Ron accept that? Did he see himself as temporary or was he just scared to rock the boat? He might not want to do anything that could upset Quinn and she made it very clear when she introduced him to the twins as “Ron” that he would have to earn a title.

“Your dad wouldn’t lay into anyone,” Artie pointed out. Mahmoud seemed to be his usual self as he talked to Ron. Hopefully, he was giving Ron some pearls of wisdom, though.

“True.” Vega puffed out her cheeks. “I think I’m that type of parent, which is just weird. I mean, I’m me and I can barely scold Emilio when he is blatantly being bad, like on purpose.”

“I know. I’ve been there. I’m going to have to discipline everyone around here.” Artie chuckled, even though she felt it might be the truth. While Emilio was not bad, he could get a little crazy sometimes and the most Vega would do was talk to him, even when he went right back to doing the behavior he was scolded over. The twins could get the same and they were all getting to understand they were cute and that could save them from punishment. They were cute, but not so cute she would not put them on timeout when they did something bad. She was not sure where she stood on spanking yet, never having to use it.

“If you would that would be greatly appreciated.” Vega snickered. “Not like you’re new to the gig.”

Artie laughed, definitely not. She liked to think she had a good track record. She glanced over at Aphrodite and Venus. They were still with Mysha and Raine respectively. In fact, Mysha was busy, throwing Freya in the air.

The group had just graduated, Aphrodite with a degree in computer science. Venus had a degree in mechanical engineering. Both of them had degrees in mathematics. Not ready to part ways yet and enter the real world, they were all going back to school in the fall to get master’s degrees. Raine had a degree in marketing and Mysha’s degree was in business. It was unclear if they would follow the twins back to school.

“You do good,” Vega said. “Even that weirdo.” She jabbed her thumb at Tia, who was chasing Emilio. He might have had something of hers, but it was hard to tell, as he dipped and dodged around people to avoid Tia.

“Leave Tia alone. That’s my special glasses buddy and she’s going to be awesome,” Artie replied.

It had taken a long while, but Artie realized Tia was probably the sister most like her in personality and demeanor. Tia was at Parker University on a full scholarship. She was a double major in biology and chemistry. She had very few close friends, a couple of them from high school. She was fiercely loyal to them and delighted in doing things with them.

There was one thing that set Tia apart from Artie. Not too long ago, Tia admitted she had absolutely no interest in romantic relationships. The idea of sex sort of grossed her out and she did not like dating, having tried it a couple of times. Her friends and family were enough. _Especially if you have Quinn_ , Artie had remarked at the time. Tia had only smiled. 

“Little boy, if you don’t give me back my keys!” Tia shouted at Emilio, who giggled and had all but escaped until Anna came out of nowhere. She snatched him up and took the keys out of his hand. He laughed and hugged Anna, easily getting out of trouble with her, but thoroughly reprimanded by Tia.

“She’s going to be the doctor out of you guys,” Vega said in regards to Tia.

“Definitely. Now, I just have to worry about those two.” Artie glanced over at Juno and Diana. Diana was still her little Piglet, but Juno was now a teenager, interested in boys and going to parties and driving Artie out of her mind. But, she would weather the storm. She was not worried about Juno.

Vega nodded. “I was at the mall the other day, buying something for Yvonne and saw the Bug there with some boys. I couldn’t resist scaring the shit out of them.”

Artie laughed and put her arm around Vega’s shoulders, pulling her close. Vega punched her in the stomach and stole the grill tongs from her, which was expected. They both laughed over it.

-8-8-8-8-

Quinn finished seasoning the chicken and was about to take it out to Artie, but she paused when she saw Artie throw her arm around Vega. They were bonding. She would give them a moment.

“Are they playing around?” Yvonne asked, glancing out of the window. She was putting the finishing touches on some skewers.

“You know they are.” Quinn smiled. “You know I love their relationship.”

Yvonne nodded. “I do, too. I really hope Emilio, Isis, and Freya have that. I want them to really be the Three Musketeers.”

Quinn leaned in and bumped Yvonne with her shoulder. “I hope our relationship becomes something like that.”

Yvonne smiled. “I like our little unique relationship we have. We’re definitely sister-in-laws. And, I love you, Quinn.”

Quinn grinned. “I love you, too.” It was impossible not to love Yvonne, but she did love Yvonne in a way like a sister. She had only had this affection for Morgan Carlton, her best friend, who was expected to come to this gathering but was running late. Even though they did not live in the same city, Morgan came over when she could get away from the hospital. Being a doctor was hard work and crazy hours, but Morgan loved it.

“And, you might get another little one to love. I’m going to try to get Vega to agree to a second child soon,” Yvonne said.

Quinn chuckled. “I doubt it will take much convincing.”

Yvonne nodded. “You’re right. I don’t want too many years in between the children. Now, I have to hope for a boy, too. I don’t want Emilio to be the odd man out.”

“I don’t think it’ll matter. If Artie has taught us anything, sex doesn’t always mean gender, after all.”

“True.” Yvonne glanced outside. “I wonder what the hell Vega would do if she had to raise an Artie. A kid who decides she’s dad because she’s Artie’s brother.”

Quinn snickered. “I’m almost certain Lo is going to tease her about that when he gets old enough anyway.”

“It’s gotta be hard to be a brother, but not want to be called a brother.”

Quinn glanced at their spouses. “But, they are brothers, though.” It was the best way to describe their relationship. “Hell, they might be twins.” Maybe that was the best way to describe them. No mention of specific genders or anything. They were just twins.

“And we love them.” Yvonne let loose a dreamy sigh.

“Yeah, we do.” Quinn heard similar sigh escape her.

“Hey, what’s going on with the meats?” Artie called to them. They locked eyes through the window and Artie grinned at her. She felt like she fell in love with Artie every time they looked into each other’s eyes.

“Let me get this out there.” Quinn stepped outside to the warmth of the day and the din of her family. Her grandparents, Artie’s grandparents, Mahmoud, Anna, the pantheon, significant others, and the babies, who were now bothering the grandparents for ice cream. One of them would give in eventually and the toddlers would make a mess with it. All she needed was Morgan and the doorbell rang. She got exactly what she wanted.

Hugging Morgan always felt like a return to college, back when things took a turn for the better. Morgan was the first person to ever truly care about her outside of her grandparents. Morgan would always hold a special place in her heart and she hoped they remained friends forever. Morgan melted into the sea of people with no worries, very familiar with everyone. 

“Where’s my babies? I got gifts!” Morgan announced and was mobbed by the three toddlers, who were covered in vanilla ice cream and cookie thanks to Anna giving them ice cream sandwiches. Morgan’s shirt did not stand a chance, but she laughed it off.

“What about me?” Diana asked with a grin. She was still such a kid at heart.

“I’d never forget you,” Morgan replied and she went into her bag to supply gifts to all the kids.

Quinn went to Artie as she stepped away from the grill. They snuggled close together for no other reason than to be close. It felt nice. This life was nice.

-8-8-8-8-

The end. 

Thank you to everyone that read this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm returning to my padded cell now, but I'll be back in a little while. Take care. Hasta…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you wanna see more of my fanfics, they're all at FFN under [StarvingLunatic](https://www.fanfiction.net/~starvinglunatic). If you wanna see some original stories, you can look at FP under [StarvingLunatic](https://www.fictionpress.com/u/576301/).
> 
> Come say hi to me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/SL-Kassidy-482097488469386/).


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